Revised plans approved for Five Acres leisure centre

Construction could soon begin on the proposed Five Acres Leisure Centre in Gloucester, after revised regeneration plans for the area were approved by Forest of Dean District Council. The council secured planning permission in February 2024 to develop the first phase of a range of leisure, community and commercial facilities at the Five Acres site as part of the Levelling Up the Forest programme. Due to rising costs, a project review was carried out by the council to ensure the redevelopment could proceed with options that are “affordable and sustainable”, both in terms of operating costs and income potential. The new design now incorporates facilities for a wider range of age groups, including soft play and café, power assisted exercise rooms, and a large 60-station gym. There will also be a repurposing of the Speedwell Building from the previous classrooms to create new office & community spaces, a café and outreach space for Hartpury University’s Aspiration Centre and these will be included in phase one of the project. Phase two, which consists of the 3G artificial pitch and floodlights, was part of a separate planning application and funding submission – submitted in January 2025 – that the Council has been working on with the Football Foundation.