Community organisations to take on former leisure centre in St Helens

A collaboration between the Standing Tall Foundation and Saints Community Sport CIC is set to take up the lease of the former Broadway Leisure Centre in St Helens.

The partners plan to transform the site into a new community hub with indoor and outdoor sports and physical activity facilities. Broadway Leisure Centre was closed in January 2013 due to local funding cuts. Facilities at the centre included a six-court sports hall and outdoor playing fields.

The move is part of St Helens Borough Council’s Community Asset Transfer policy, which allows community organisations to take over council-owned land or buildings, enabling them to play a more active role in helping deliver services.

The former Broadway Leisure Centre is the last location of the first tranche of sites that have been through the community asset transfer process, with Bishop Road Playing Field in Windlehurst and King George V Playing Fields in Earlestown having been approved for community leases last year.

The Broadway opportunity had initially received several bids when first put forward last year but individually these did not meet the published criteria. However, subsequent collaboration between two of the bidders – The Standing Tall Foundation and Saints Community Sport CIC – has achieved a successful outcome.

Lisa Harris, the council’s Executive Director for Place Services, said: “We are now able to move forward with the plans to transfer this facility back into the hands of community groups who are committed to delivering a range of services for our residents.

“Through our Community Asset Transfer policy we have a process in place to help us choose suitable organisations to deliver services. These two organisations have demonstrated a clear commitment to the community and that will unlock great opportunities for residents across the borough.”