What's happening now at King Alfred

Next steps for the regeneration project

Now that Cabinet has decided on the preferred site for the new facility (part of the current King Alfred site), work is now progressing to the next stages of design and planning.

The first step in this process has been to appoint the professional team who will lead the design work.

The core professional team comprises:

• Alliance Leisure - Alliance Leisure develops facilities on behalf of local authorities that want to improve or expand the leisure products and services they offer. They are the appointed delivery partner for the UK Leisure Framework. Using the framework we have worked with Alliance to appoint the rest of the professional team, as set out below. Alliance will coordinate the work of the consultants and will support the council in future engagement and communications activities for the project. 
• GT3 Architects - GT3 Architects are award-winning specialists in sports and leisure architecture, with a reputation for delivering inclusive, sustainable, and community-focused facilities. They will lead the professional team in developing the design for the new facility. GT3 previously worked with the council on the development of the Sports Facilities Investment Plan and have a good understanding the council’s vision for sport and leisure in the city. 
• Engenuiti - Engenuiti is a people driven practice, rooted in technical strength, and motivated by making buildings which are exemplary in respect of their low impact on the environment. They will complement GT3 as the civil and structural engineers for the project. Engenuiti were part of the team which developed the project’s business case in 2024 and prepared the structural report which was key in supporting the council’s proposal to replace rather than refurbish the existing facility. 
• Van Zyl & de Villiers (VZDV) - VZDV Consulting Engineers are an established UK-based building services engineering consultancy proudly fulfilling the needs of the next generation of buildings through innovative and sustainable mechanical, electrical and public health (MEP) engineering. VZDV have a strong track record in the leisure sector having completed over 150 leisure facilities in the UK, Channel Islands, and 11 countries in mainland Europe.
• Hadron Consulting - Hadron Consulting are experienced project managers and client-side development advisors, known for their strategic oversight and delivery of complex capital projects. They will complete the core team as the technical project manager. During the soft market engagement work Hadron prepared some very effective cost consulting work in which they demonstrated a high degree of innovation and sector knowledge in showing how the most impactful facility could be delivered for the available budget.

As the project progresses, other specialist consultants will be brought onto the team as required.  

The professional team set out above is the same core team that successfully delivered the recently-opened Eclispe Leisure Centre at Spelthorne., one of the world’s most advanced energy efficient leisure centres. 

The professional team will be bringing all of their experience from that project and others to apply to the new King Alfred, to ensure that it is also an outstanding example of sustainable and energy-efficient design. 

We expect to have the design developed by the of 2025, at which stage we'll look to submit the full planning application.

Communications and engagement  

Since the current project was started in late summer 2022, we've been engaging closely with local residents about the King Alfred regeneration. As the project moves forward into the design and planning stages this will continue.

We'll continue to use the project’s Reference Group as a channel to engage with the local community, as well as working closely with user groups and local sports clubs/hirers.

These designs will be shared with residents before submitting the full planning application.

Find out more about the July Cabinet meeting.