Wiltshire Council has formally submitted a planning application to build a brand-new leisure centre for Trowbridge at its East Wing site – with a vision to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents with top class facilities while having a wider positive economic impact on the county town.  

This follows a period of recent engagement which saw several well attended drop-in sessions taking place for people to find out more information, and a survey to provide feedback on the plans. Around 700 people attended the drop-in sessions held throughout the town during June, and 692 people fed back the survey.

The feedback for the survey and drop-in sessions was overwhelmingly positive about the project and proposals.

Throughout this project, Wiltshire Council has been working closely with internal and external colleagues with the shared goal of optimising the quality of the centre, this included an independent design review panel providing the council with valuable and constructive feedback through their breadth of knowledge and experience.

The proposed design will use high-quality robust materials, glazed facades will showcase everything the site has to offer, with a prominent entrance to welcome people in. The modern design has a strong industrial aesthetic that reflects the heritage of Trowbridge. Internally, accessibility has been put at the heart of the design.

To support the council’s target of being carbon neutral by 2030 the project has taken a fabric first approach to the building design, meaning the building will be as energy efficient as possible. Solar panels will be installed on available roof space, helping power the all-electric building. This will be further supported by the external landscaping that will create a green island in Trowbridge with active travel routes woven in.

As previously confirmed, it is proposed that the new facility will contain the following:  

• A six-lane, 25m swimming pool   
• 7m x 13m learner pool   
• Gym with 120 exercise stations   
• Two studios   
• Immersive spin studio  
• Community meeting room   
• Café   
• Adventure play – providing activities for young people in the form of TAGactive (main target age group 12-16yrs)
• Live well suite – providing a dedicated space for older people to exercise  

Following previous extensive consultation and a review of a wide range of evidence and data the new leisure centre facilities does not include diving facilities, sports hall, or squash courts. It is anticipated that the dry side elements of Trowbridge Sports Centre (at Clarendon) will be retained there, including the sports hall, small hall and squash courts. Wiltshire Council is in discussion with Acorn Education Trust regarding the existing facilities at Trowbridge Sports Centre. 

Cllr Ian Blair-Pilling, Cabinet Member for Leisure and Public Health, said: “ This is huge milestone for this project, and I thank everyone for their recent feedback which has helped us to get to this stage and inform our plans. I was at many of the recent drop-in sessions and the people I spoke to were very excited about our plans and vision for the overall project. It was also very useful to get some constructive challenges on some of our proposals and where possible we’ve tried to address those as part of this planning application.

“If planning consent is granted, this will be a centre that will serve the whole community, right in the centre of the county town.

“This investment will provide a modern impressive energy efficient facility that will have health and wellbeing right at its heart but will also play a key role in linking that area of Trowbridge to the centre of town, improving the overall offer of our county town.  

“I’d encourage as many people as possible to take a look at the plans as this is another opportunity to provide feedback which will continue to help inform this important and exciting project.”

The planning application reference number is PL/2024/08255 and people have 28 days to provide any representations. More information about the proposals, and a link to the planning application, click on the button below.