Work begins on £20m move Partington project

Construction work has started on an ambitious rebuild of Partington Leisure Centre in Trafford, Greater Manchester.

The project has been awarded £18.3m Levelling Up funding from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, alongside a £2m grant from Sport England.

The transformation of the building, which dates back to 1970 and forms part of Partington Sports Village, is the latest development in a wider programme to upgrade sports and leisure facilities across Trafford.

Set to open to the public in 2028, the venue will have a focus on health and wellbeing, with facilities including a swimming pool, a health club with a 40-station gym floor, exercise studios, sports hall and café. The wider sports village features two 3G football pitches, sports courts and an open-air gym, which will remain available for use during the work.

To be renamed “move Partington”, the centre will follow the £20m move Altrincham development opened last year and the £7m move Urmston in 2020, which is soon to be warmed with waste heat from a data centre next door. The centre is owned by Trafford Council and is operated by Trafford Leisure.

Jo Cherrett, CEO of Trafford Leisure, said: “We know local people have been eager to see the centre brought back to life and we’re excited to create a modern community facility that will serve Partington for generations to come.

“This is much more than a building refurbishment. It is an investment in people, providing a welcoming space.”