Rushcliffe leisure centres to share £5.2m investment

Two leisure centres owned by Rushcliffe Borough Council are being redeveloped with the view of both improving their facilities as well as making them more energy efficient.

Cotgrave Leisure Centre and Keyworth Leisure Centre will share an investment of £5.2m, funded in part by the DCMS Swimming Pool Support Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.

First in line for the improvements has been Cotgrave, where all fitness spaces have been upgraded and a dedicated indoor cycling studio added. Other works included the installation of a Changing Places facility, a revamped reception area with widened corridors and improved layouts and modernised poolside changing rooms to enhance comfort for swimmers.

The funding has also enabled the replacement of Cotgrave Leisure Centre’s outdated heating and hot water systems with new modern, low carbon air source heat pumps.

The pumps will use electricity from renewable sources to efficiently draw heat from the air and transfer it into the swimming pool and surrounding areas, resulting in a 250% to 300% increase in energy efficiency. In addition, solar panels installed on the roof will generate up to 55,000KWH of electricity a year saving up to £25,000 on running costs – the equivalent of running power for 20 houses. Works on the second project at Keyworth Leisure Centre are set to begin in Summer 2025.

The centres are operated by LEX Leisure, a subcontractor of Parkwood Leisure.