This is Speller Metcalfe’s second project for Parkwood Leisure, having built the £3.6m leisure centre in the Leicestershire village of Broughton Astley. It is set to start work in Barnstaple in the summer.
Tarka leisure centre, designed by Watson Batty Architects, will be built next to Tarka Tennis and replace the old North Devon Leisure Centre on the Seven Brethren industrial estate.
It will have a 25-metre, eight-lane swimming pool and a 20-metre trainer pool, both with moveable floors that allow the pools to reach depths of up to 1.8 metres. This will enable the leisure centre to provide lifeguard training facilities and accommodate additional sports such as water polo, funded in part by the Coastal Communities Fund and National Lottery grants through Sport England.
It will also have an ‘endless’ ski slope in a room that runs inside to out. This will be fitted out by a specialist contractor.
Other facilities include a four-court sports hall, gym, three fitness studios, indoor soft play, café and reception area.
The project is due to complete in early 2022.
“With solid experience in the leisure sector, Speller Metcalfe is delighted to be delivering our second scheme for Parkwood Leisure, said Rob Lashford, regional director for Speller Metcalfe.
Parkwood Leisure managing director Glen Hall said: “After a successful partnership working together on the brand new facility at Broughton Astley leisure centre we're delighted to be working with Speller Metcalfe again at Barnstaple leisure centre. It's an exciting development and we're looking forward to see what we can achieve in providing state of the art leisure facilities for the local community." Â
Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk