Sports hall, sustainability, biodiversity and access – proposed Houghton Regis community and leisure centre consultation
Consultation closed: Wedneday, 16 February 2022
Consultation opened: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Sports hall provision
A community use agreement with Houstone School will provide residents with access to a modern sports hall for indoor sports as well as a range of outdoor sports facilities.
We wanted to target the funding on additional facilities and not duplicate sports provision available for school and community use. The new community and leisure centre will offer complementary facilities which create a package of modern sporting and fitness opportunities for residents. If we had included a sports hall in the leisure centre, as well as the one required for the new school, it would have used a considerable portion of the budget and meant sacrificing other facilities. The preferred option offers leisure and community facilities to meet the needs of more residents.
Sustainability
The building’s orientation and its considered design provide sustainability benefits. Large expanses of glazing will offer plenty of natural light and solar gain energy.
Renewable technologies such as air source heat pumps and solar panels on the roof will add to its sustainability credentials and also help lower the running costs of the building.
A bus drop off point and combined cycle and pedestrian paths across the Kingsland Campus will mean the site is very accessible to the local community. Cycle parking and electric vehicle charging points will also be provided as part of the development
Biodiversity and ecology
We will retain and enhance the established boundary hedging, trees and vegetation along Sundon Road and Parkside Drive as it provides a natural habitat for wildlife to thrive.
We will minimise the removal of existing trees and hedging to enable the development, and mitigate any removal with new tree planting. We will retain grassland areas and additional planting and landscaping will create a parkland setting on the 2.8 hectare site.
Over 100 new trees, wildflower meadows, rain gardens, shrubs and nectar-rich planting in raised ornamental beds will enhance biodiversity and ecology and help to make an attractive and welcoming site.
Access and parking
Plans include 238 parking spaces, plus motorcycle parking which will be provided next to the building for users of the leisure centre. 24 of the 238 spaces will be provided as charging spaces for electric vehicles and there will be 13 accessible parking bays located close to the main entrance. The site will also include parking for up to 46 cycles.
Drivers will access the site via the existing junction from Parkside Drive, and as part of the new community and leisure centre, we will provide new walking and cycling routes into the Kingsland Campus from Sundon Road and Parkside Drive.
We will provide a new shared pedestrian and cycle route across the Kingsland Campus site from east to west which will help improve walking and cycling across Houghton Regis and ensure the site is accessible to all members of the community.