Work begins on Thornaby's new leisure centre as part of £23.9million Town Deal
Work on a new, state-of-the-art leisure facility for Thornaby Town Centre is underway.
The project is part of the £23.9million Thornaby Town Deal, set to bring long-term change and investment to Thornaby.
The £14million leisure facility will boast impressive new facilities such as a five-lane swimming pool, gym, sauna and changing rooms.
The two-storey building will connect into the existing Thornaby Pavilion with a link bridge at first floor. A new entrance and car park, providing 46 additional spaces, will also be created as well as improvements to the surrounding public realm.
Enhancements will also be made to the internal layout and fitness spaces in the existing pavilion building.
The new pool will offer more learn-to-swim opportunities for the wider community, as well as school swimming partnerships and will be operated by Tees Active.
Further funding has also been secured from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Sport England towards construction of the new facility.
The facility will be located on the former Phoenix House site, which previously stood empty for a number of years before it was purchased and demolished using Town Deal funding.
Work will take around a year to complete, with the facility opening in summer 2027.
Work to demolish the nearby Golden Eagle is also progressing, with the complex asbestos removal taking place before the building's removal in the coming months.
Meanwhile, work to deliver a joined-up network of cycle routes across Thornaby which will improve access to the town centre and connect with existing cycle infrastructure to the North and South is set to begin soon.
This includes:
- Redcar Road, between Humber Road and Baysdale Road
- Millbank Lane, between Fullerton way and Trenchard Avenue
- Mitchell Avenue, between Trenchard Avenue and Chadderton Drive
- Thornaby Road, from A174 to Kintyre Drive
- Trenchard Avenue, between Mitchell Avenue and Thornaby Road
An additional part of the scheme covering Allison Trainer Park, East of Clarendon Road and West of Baysdale Road, is subject to securing planning permission later this year.
The new infrastructure includes segregated cycle facilities, shared walking and cycling facilities, on carriageway cycle routes, new safer crossings for walking, wheeling and cycling and additional signage.
The scheme will be delivered by contractor C R Reynolds, using funding from the Town Deal, Tees Valley Combined Authority's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement fund and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Work will take place in phases and will be complete in spring 2027.
All projects are being delivered with the support and endorsement of the Thornaby Town Deal Board. The Town Deal Board is made up of local stakeholders from key public and private sector bodies, including Thornaby Councillors and the MPs for the area.
Councillor Richard Eglington, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing at Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, said: "A new leisure centre in Thornaby Town Centre will not only provide state-of-the-art sports facilities on people's doorsteps, it will also bring footfall and add vibrancy to the town centre.
"With this addition and the removal of the Golden Eagle, we're bringing life to a site that has been vacant for a number of years, a key priority for the Town Deal Board.
"The improvements to Thornaby's cycle network will also help connect the town centre with other key assets in the area, making it easier to commute, get around and support healthier lifestyles."
Mark White CBE DL, Chair of Thornaby Town Deal Board, said: "Thornaby's new leisure centre is an exciting project for the Town Deal Board and one we were very passionate about bringing forward.
"The benefits of an improved cycle network are also significant as it better connects the area with employment sites and helps to support sustainable and active travel.
"When these projects are complete, they will be amazing assets for Thornaby, and I am looking forward to seeing the work progress."
Matt Naylor, Operations Director for Galliford Try Building North East and Yorkshire, said: "Everyone in our team is looking forward to working with all the stakeholders involved to create a fantastic new leisure facility, which will add so much to the fabric of the community and enhance the lives of local people for years to come."
Liam Carter, Director at C R Reynolds Ltd, said: "We are pleased to be working on a pivotal cycleways project, which will improve connectivity across Thornaby. This allows us to contribute significantly to enhancing the local infrastructure, ensuring safer and more efficient travel for the community."
