Warsop, a former mining community in Nottinghamshire, faced declining leisure provision, with existing facilities reaching the end of their lifespan and no longer meeting modern expectations or community needs. Following a detailed insight-led research project commissioned by Mansfield District Council and Active Notts, clear links were identified between local leisure provision and wider health and wellbeing outcomes, including physical inactivity, social isolation, childhood obesity, and anti-social behaviour.
The challenge was to create a smaller-scale, highly flexible community hub capable of delivering meaningful health and social impact while remaining accessible, inclusive, sustainable, and operationally efficient. The project also needed to respond directly to priorities identified through extensive community consultation and stakeholder engagement.
Working in partnership with Mansfield District Council, Sport England, Strategic Leisure, and Furness Partnership, we helped develop and deliver the first Leisure Local pilot scheme - a concept designed to provide flexible, community-centred leisure facilities tailored to local need.
The single-storey hub was designed around accessibility, inclusivity, and adaptability, with flexible multi-purpose spaces capable of supporting a wide variety of health, fitness, and community activities. Facilities include a 15m swimming pool, splash play area, gym, multi-purpose hall, café, community space, kitchen, MUGA, and associated outdoor amenities including natural turf pitches, a pump track, and skate park facilities within the wider park setting.
The design places strong emphasis on welcoming community spaces, with open-access social areas, simple and low-maintenance materials, and robust yet attractive architecture. Sustainability formed a key part of the project strategy through an all-electric approach incorporating photovoltaic panels, air source heat pumps, sustainable drainage systems, biodiversity enhancements, high-performance building fabric, and efficient building planning to reduce operational energy use and long-term running costs.
Delivered with significant Sport England funding, Warsop Health Hub provides a highly accessible and inclusive community destination focused on improving long-term health and wellbeing outcomes. Post-occupancy evaluation has demonstrated that the facility has successfully achieved its social and health aims, exceeding participation expectations while creating a valued community space that promotes accessibility, supports local health programmes, and fosters social cohesion.
The project now acts as a benchmark for future Leisure Local developments, demonstrating how smaller-scale, place-based leisure provision can deliver meaningful social, environmental, and community impact.
