The new state-of-the-art Passivhaus leisure complex at St Sidwell’s Point is perhaps the most talked about topic in Exeter.

A £300m redevelopment of the city centre will see the new leisure centre, a brand new bus station, as well as  250 build-to-rent homes on Sidwell Street, a four star hotel opposite John Lewis, a budget hotel in Sidwell Street, relocation of the Civic Centre, which would then be turned into homes,  and a new office quarter.

Food, drink and retail outlets, a new square and civic space in Paris Street, and the potential for a multi-purpose performance venue, with a capacity of around 1,200 seated or up to 2,500 standing. Paris Street may be pedestrianised as part of the plans.

St Sidwell's Point in Exeter City Centre
How St Sidwell's Point might look

The new bus station will cost £8m to deliver, while the leisure centre will cost £43.8m.

This is what is planned for the new leisure centre:

  • Eight-lane Main Pool (25m)
  • four-lane Learner Pool
  • Multi-purpose Room/Crèche
  • Gym (150 stations)
  • Spin Studio
  • 2 x Group Exercise Studios
  • Spa – Sauna, saunarium, salt vaporium, relaxation room, manicure/pedicure station and 4 x treatment rooms
  • Small soft play area
  • Cafe

Last year, the budget for the new complex rose of £39.2 million to £51.9million.

Exeter City Council broke down what the cost for the leisure complex is:

  • Build Contract £34.9m
  • Project Costs £7.1m (including fees, planning, building control, Passivhaus Institute approvals, legal fees and investigations)
  • Programme Costs £1.8m (including tenant and landlord obligations, operator procurement and communications costs)

Explaining the costs, an Exeter City Council spokesperson said: "This is a passivhaus building that will be built to quality construction and environmental standards, on a prime city centre site offering a whole host of facilities – not just a swimming pool.

"It will be key to securing further investment on the rest of the site and indeed a catalyst to bringing forward more high quality buildings that Exeter people can be proud of for now and future generations beyond.

"In short the St Sidwell’s Leisure Centre will deliver:

"St Sidwell’s Point will replace the aging Pyramids swimming pool and is expected to attract at least 500,000 visits a year – twice that of the RAMM. The state-of-the-art new leisure complex will feature an eight lane main pool and four lane pool for learners, both with moveable floors.

"The building is modelled to withstand predicted changes in climate conditions up to 2080.

"There is also a confidence pool, 150 station gym, soft play area, 50 seat café and crèche as well as extensive health and spa facilities. Due to ultra-filtration, the pools will have exceptional water quality with minimal chemical content.

"Swimming pools take huge amounts of energy to run. St Sidwell’s Point will be one of the most energy efficient leisure centres in the world.

"It will be the UK’s first leisure centre built to super-efficient low energy Passivhaus standards, which is expected to eventually save up to 70 per cent on annual energy costs.

"The quality of the build for St Sidwell’s Point is essential given its prime city centre location.

"The quality of the build will determine the quality of what goes on the rest of this key site. It is essential that the quality on the rest of the site matches that of St Sidwell’s Point.

"A £300m vision to redevelop the wider site was revealed by the City Council last year.

"The development concept for Exeter Bus Station includes housing, offices, restaurants and retail, as well as the possibility of a new multi-use entertainment venue.

"Specifically, the vision backed by councillors for the wider site includes:

  • The potential for a multi-purpose performance venue, with a capacity of around 1,200 seated or up to 2,500 standing
  • 250 housing units for sale on the current Civic Centre site, and 250 units of housing built to rent
  • A ten-storey, four star hotel with 175 rooms, and a budget hotel
  • Almost 40,000 sq ft of retail units fronting Sidwell Street
  • The potential to house the relocated Civic Centre
  • A new Office Quarter, with units over eight storeys 
  • More than 15,000 sq ft of food and drink outlets
  • Flexible working space alongside the leisure centre
  • Public realm enhancements – a new square in Paris Street and new civic space 
  • The vision shows a pedestrianised Paris Street, which remains a long term aspiration for the authority."

New leisure centres are popping up across the country, and we compared the costs of the new developments of the centres to Exeter’s.

Birmingham – Cost - £8.5m

CGI of new leisure centre in Ladywood

A new leisure centre is due to open in July, and costs nearly five times less than the St Sidwell’s Point centre.

When it opens in the summer, it will have a 130-station gym, with the latest fitness equipment - including machines like treadmills and cross-trainers you can pair with your mobile phone, Birmingham Live reports.

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There will be a 25-metre swimming pool, sauna and steam room.

Gym-goers will be able to build muscles in a dedicated free weights area.

Classes available include yoga, pilates and Bodypump.

Camberley (Surrey) - Cost £22m

Artist's impression of potential new leisure centre

Plans for a new leisure centre here were unveiled earlier this week, which include  include a 25-metre six-lane pool, learner pool with adjustable floor, splash zone, sports hall, fitness suite, group exercise studios, adventure play, clip 'n' climb, health suite and a cafe.

Planning permission is to be submitted, Surrey Live reports.

Nottingham - Cost - £20m

An artist's impression of the potential leisure centre and office site

Plans here were unveiled last moth to build a new leisure centre, which would include a new swimming pool, fitness gym and community hall, Nottinghamshire Live reports.

Dover - Cost - £26m

Dover's new leisure facility

Last month, a new leisure centre opened in the Kent town, which has a eight-lane county standard competition swimming pool and a state-of-the-art clip 'n' climb interactive climbing arena, Kent Live reports.

More traditional equipment like a four court sports hall, 120-station fitness suite, sauna and steam room, spin studio, squash courts with spectator seating and two outdoor five-a-side 3G pitches were also built.

Chelmsford - Cost - £40m

How the new centre could look

Construction on the leisure complex in Essex began in September 2017 and is expected to be completed in the next few months.

The centre will have two swimming pools, sport and fitness centre, reception area and an ice rink, Essex Live reports.

The main 25m ten-lane pool will have an adjustable floor, one of only three in the country with its dimensions, to be used for training and competition purposes.

Great Yarmouth - Cost - £26m

How the new centre could look

The Marina Centre on Great Yarmouth's seafront is to be demolished and a new £26m facility built.

It will include a 25-metre six-lane pool with full disabled access, water flumes, a climbing wall and a cafe.