Iconic £12m centre will 'put Matlock on the map'

10 March 2010

On Wednesday morning (10 March) Dr Bryan Jackson OBE unveiled a foundation stone as construction work started on the brownfield site above the A6 road between Matlock and Darley Dale. The centre is on schedule to open by summer 2011.

“I first saw this site in 2007 when the centre was no more than an idea,” said Dr Jackson. “I saw the opportunity and we were delighted as EMDA to be involved.

“With our sub-regional partners we are putting a lot of money into this. Why? Because it’s an exciting project, it frees up some of the town centre for development, creates a fantastic facility for anyone who lives in this area and hopefully will draw in many more visitors to the area, benefiting the local economy.”

“I would like to put on record that Derbyshire Dales District Council may be small in size but they are big on ideas and success - and it is their enthusiasm, drive and commitment that convinced us this would be taxpayers’ money well spent. We were confident they would deliver.

“This District Council is always going forward. Matlock is developing with the by-pass and Sainsbury’s and this is going to be an iconic building that will put Matlock on the map for the right reasons. It’s all good news – a win-win situation.”

Derbyshire Dales District Council has committed £7 million to the overall cost, supported by £3.7m from EMDA and further grants from the Derbyshire Economic Partnership and Sport England.

There is the promise too of a major financial contribution from Matlock Area Recreation and Sports Group (MARS), which comprises local residents and representatives from sports clubs and community groups. MARS has played an important role in representing local people in on-going consultation discussions with the District Council.

Derbyshire Dales District Council’s Deputy Leader Councillor Geoff Stevens
said: “This is a very important and exciting day for Derbyshire Dales people and marks the coming together of hard work by EMDA, the District Council and other organisations such as MARS - local people who have helped us so much.

“We asked the community for a wish list and I am delighted to say we were able to deliver everything they wanted. We can’t wait now for summer 2011.”

The new leisure centre will include a moveable floor in the centre’s eight-lane competition swimming pool that meets regional and county level competition requirements.

A main sports hall will comprise county standard badminton courts and facilities for indoor hockey, basketball, volleyball, five-a-side football, netball, gymnastics and cricket nets, together with a second hall for aerobics, dance, fitness classes, martial arts, parties, table tennis and yoga.

Also factored in are a café, meeting rooms and a community room to replace the present Darley Dale Community Centre, while outside, in addition to existing football pitches, footways and ecological corridors are planned.

The building incorporates significant renewable energy features to minimise the new building’s carbon footprint. These include solar panels, rainwater recovery and Combined Heating and Power (CHP).
Access to the site is already established from the A6 road. On site parking will also be created.

Local construction company Morgan Ashurst, which is based at The Phoenix Centre, Nottingham, is the main contactor for the project and Drivers Jonas of Manchester are acting as project managers for the District Council, heading a Design Team containing all the required disciplines for such a complex project.