Plans for the multi-million refurbishment of Stretford Leisure Centre have been approved by Trafford council. The state-of-the-art proposals to totally transform the centre on Chester Road in the town were rubber-stamped by members of the council’s executive.
The centre – branded move Stretford and operated by Trafford Leisure – will benefit from a refurbished 25m swimming pool; a 20m learner pool, an enlarged lobby area and café; two separate gender-specific wet changing rooms, separate family wet changing room and accessible changing room; two Changing Places facilities and two separate sports hall changing rooms.
There will also be a sauna and steam room; an enlarged fitness suite; a ladies-only gym; two flexible studio spaces; an immersive spin studio; a four-court sports hall; a three-lane urban cricket centre; a viewing gallery and a padding-up facility.
Trafford council and Trafford Leisure are now planning to launch a consultation with the local community regarding the new-look centre.
Town hall bosses say the new mix of facilities at Stretford has been planned with support from partners to deliver long-term sustainable leisure provision that gives the best health and wellbeing outcomes for residents. The plans also fit in with two of the council’s corporate priorities – reducing health inequalities and addressing the climate crisis, they say.
The investment supports the council’s strategy and commitment to get more people moving more often, helping improve health and wellbeing, and is part of its physical activity strategy, ‘Trafford Moving’. A large-scale consultation period will now be held with residents over the planned refurbishment at Stretford.
A year ago, the council's executive approved a £52.1million capital programme to refurbish Altrincham, Sale and Stretford leisure centres. Subsequent budget monitoring reports carried out this financial year have seen the budget rise to £56.2m.
With work at Altrincham already underway and due for completion in the summer next year, the Stretford revamp is expected to start in the autumn and will be finished in early 2026.
Following that, work at Sale Leisure Centre will start in the summer of 2026, to be complete by the end of 2027.
Coun Jo Harding, Trafford council’s executive member for culture, leisure and strategic partnerships, said: “This is absolutely fantastic news. Trafford council is totally committed to the health and wellbeing of residents across the borough and to providing the best facilities possible to achieve fitness and health. We can now look forward to an amazing state-of-the-art leisure centre for the people of Stretford and beyond.”
Jo Cherrett is chief executive of Trafford Leisure, a community interest company, wholly owned by Trafford council, which manages the facilities on behalf of the authority. She said: “We are thrilled that Stretford will be the third site Trafford Leisure will open under the name of move.
“Leisure facilities are changing, they need to be spaces that excite and inspire, and we can't wait to see a modernised centre for our community to enjoy, future-proofing it for generations to come.
"The wellbeing of our Trafford community is at the heart of everything we do, and our focus will be to provide inclusive and affordable health and wellness opportunities for the people of Stretford.”
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