Dover District Council has signed a 12 year management contract with Places for People (PfP) Leisure as part of a major investment in leisure facilities with the construction of the new £26m Dover District Leisure Centre.
PfP Leisure take over the management of the existing Dover Leisure Centre on Townwall Street from 1 April 2018 which will remain open until the new leisure centre opens at Whitfield early in 2019.
Construction of the new Dover District Leisure Centre is making good progress. Representing a step change in leisure facilities in the district, it will include the first county standard competition swimming pool in Kent (25m x 8-lanes), spectator seating for 250 people, learner pool with moveable floor, four court sports hall, squash courts, multi-function room, fitness gym, fitness studios, clip ‘n’ climb wall, and a café. The centre also includes two outdoor 3G artificial pitches for five-a-side football and parking for 250 vehicles.
Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Cabinet Member for Property Management, said: “We’re delighted to be working with PfP Leisure to deliver the new Dover District Leisure Centre.
“We’ve been impressed with their vision, not just in terms of new facilities, but also their passion to get more people engaged in active lifestyles from all sections of the community.”
John Bates, Business Development Director at Places for People Leisure said, “As a social enterprise with a mission to create active places and healthy people, we are pleased to be supporting Dover District Council at this exciting time as they plan to invest in and enhance the leisure provision within the area.
“The new centre will boast a range of facilities and we are looking forward to working in partnership to complement this with a range of activities that we hope will inspire all members of the community to enjoy physical activity and adopt healthier lifestyles.”
Photo caption
(left to right) Carolyn D’Costa, Finance Director, PfP Leisure, John Bates, Business Development Director, PfP Leisure, Cllr Trevor Bartlett, Cabinet Member for Property Management, Dover District Council, Nadeem Aziz, Chief Executive, Dover District Council.
About Places for People Leisure
- Partners 36 local authorities across England
- Currently manages 118 leisure centres nationwide and six Places Gyms
- Attracts 30 million leisure centre visits each year
- Leads over 70,000 swimming lessons per week
- Employs 8,600 staff
- Crowned ukactive Leisure Centre Operator of the Year 2015 and ukactive Leisure Centre of the Year 2016
- Winner of the 2013 Apprenticeship Provider of the Year Award, in partnership with Lifetime Training
- Winner of the Royal Society for Public Health Award 2013/16
- First Leisure Management Company to achieve Quest Stretch ‘Outstanding’ for Sports Development (now Active Communities)
About Places for People Group
Places for People Leisure is part of the Places for People Group which is one of the largest property and leisure management, development and regeneration companies in the UK. It is committed to creating successful places and enabling people to reach their potential.
Places for People makes a long-term commitment to its communities and works to provide what they need to thrive; not only today but for future generations. Its developments are not just about housing but new schools, shops, leisure facilities, employment, access to training and specialist services. As a not-for-dividend organisation, the profits it makes are reinvested back into its core business of creating and maintaining sustainable places.
Posted on 12 March 2018