Exciting leisure and wellbeing plan for Droitwich Spa

An ambitious package to create a range of exciting leisure and wellbeing opportunities for residents in and around Droitwich Spa has been unveiled by Wychavon.

The plan includes almost £7 million to upgrade Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre, more than £5 million to enhance the offer to visitors at Droitwich Lido, a new skate park, pump track, health corridor and replacement athletics track.

Councillors on Wychavon's Executive Board are due to discuss the proposal at a meeting on Wednesday (7 February).

Wychavon announced plans last year to build a new leisure centre for Droitwich Spa but the soaring cost of inflation means a new centre would cost over £30 million, with a significant increase in energy costs. A new centre with enhanced carbon cutting measures would cost £42 million.

With budgets under pressure this was seen as not affordable. It is proposed the money would be better spent improving leisure and wellbeing opportunities across the town so the widest possible range of Droitwich Spa residents could benefit, rather than concentrate all the money on a single site.

The proposed package contains:

• £7 million for Droitwich Spa Leisure centre to include the creation of a new extension with reception, café and a new learner pool. Upgrades will be made to improve the centre's carbon footprint. Treatment rooms will also be refurbished and there will be extra car parking.
• More than £5 million for Droitwich Lido to upgrade the Worcester Road entrance, bring the upstairs of the Art Deco building back into use, potentially as a restaurant, and other improvements to the Lido facility. These include turning the historic 'Milk Bar' area into a small holistic therapy salt room with direct reference to Droitwich Salt and the natural brine line to the Lido. Sauna and steam pods and a children's play area are also proposed. Droitwich Spa Place Board is currently considering options for the site and more information will be released at a later date.
• £300,000 for a new skate park will be created on King George V Playing Fields next to the underpass to the Westlands as the current one is 20 years old and beyond economic repair. The new park will be bigger and more in line with other skate parks in Evesham and Pershore.
• £125,000 for a new pump track in response to feedback from local young people. Sites are still being considered.
• £1 million to create a health corridor between Vines Park and Churchfields Farm. This will involve the creation of a formal towpath, solar lighting, new mooring and benches. There will also be a kayak launch and an e-bike hire scheme.
• £252,000 to replace the athletics track at Droitwich Spa High School, in partnership with the school, to benefit students and the community.

If approved, detailed plans for each project will be worked up and delivered over the next four years. Each scheme will need further approval from councillors and there will be consultation with the public.

Cllr Aaron Powell, Executive Board Member for Resources and Investment on Wychavon District Council, said: "This is an ambitious proposal that will use council taxpayers' money in a more targeted and cost-effective way to improve access to leisure opportunities for people across Droitwich Spa in several ways, rather than concentrating everything on one site.

"I'm delighted we will still be able to deliver significant improvements to Droitwich Spa Leisure Centre to increase the user experience, while we have also listened and responded to what young people have told us about their leisure needs."

Cllr Richard Morris, Executive Board Member for Economic Growth and Tourism on Wychavon District Council, added: "If approved, this package will make a significant contribution to achieving the vision set out in the Droitwich Spa Investment Prospectus of making the town a leisure, health and wellbeing destination."