Dovedale Sports Centre set for refurbishment in 2025

Major refurbishment and remodelling works have been confirmed for Chelmsford’s Dovedale Sports Centre. The targeted refurbishment project, set to begin in June this year, will see the site re-open in early 2026, with an expanded and remodelled gym, additional studio, and new, more energy efficient water and heating systems.

Dovedale Sports Centre is on Chelmsford College’s Moulsham Street campus and is operated by Chelmsford City Council in partnership with the college, allowing for joint use by students and the public. The upgraded centre will provide improved facilities for all users and increased public-use hours for residents.

Much-needed refurbishment works

The centre was constructed in 1973 and, since then, has only seen minor upgrades. As a result, the facilities are outdated and the building’s standards have fallen, especially compared to other council-run leisure centres.

Residents who use the centre will be well aware that its current shortcomings are more than skin-deep. While Dovedale’s management team do a fantastic job of running the centre and providing excellent customer service, there is a growing backlog of works that the building desperately needs. As a result, maintenance and repair costs are rising.

The centre has only seen minor upgrades since it was constructed in 1973.

Along with 50 years of wear-and-tear, accessibility issues will also be addressed during the refurbishment. The gym currently has only one entrance, via a small set of stairs, making it inaccessible for wheelchair users and those with walking aids.

Councillor Natacha Dudley, Cabinet Member for an Active Chelmsford, says that the local community will benefit from the new and improved centre:

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“I’m thrilled to see this project is getting underway. It’s been a long-held ambition of Chelmsford City Council to bring Dovedale up to the standards of our other leisure centres. This exciting project is a substantial investment in the health and wellbeing of Chelmsford’s residents and in the college’s offering to students, too.

“In its current condition, maintenance and repair costs are increasing and, due to significant plant failures, investing in the building is necessary to ensure that the facility isn’t lost entirely. The local community and college students who use the centre deserve access to great facilities – and that’s what this refurbishment will bring.”

Cllr Natacha Dudley, Cabinet Member for an Active Chelmsford

Joint investment of £2.3m

The centre’s refurbishment will be funded by Chelmsford’s Community Infrastructure Levy (paid by housing developers), Chelmsford City Council’s capital programme and Chelmsford College, with overall investment totalling £2,340,000.

Leisure Centres General Manager, Sarah Smith, says the success of similar projects at Riverside Leisure Centre, Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre (CSAC) and South Woodham Ferrers Leisure Centre (SWFLC) shows how impactful this kind of investment is for the local community and beyond:

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“Investment in our other leisure centres has resulted in their highest attendance numbers to date, greater customer satisfaction, and increased profitability – which means increased income for the council, benefiting the district as a whole. We’re very excited to finally be investing in Dovedale in order to motivate new users to join us and simultaneously provide improved facilities for our valued existing customers.

“At the moment, daytime access to Dovedale is very limited, and anyone who wants to use our leisure facilities during the day needs to go to Riverside or one of our centres outside the city centre. With all of our centres busier than ever, we need to increase their capacity in order to best serve Chelmsford residents, and expanding access to Dovedale will help us do this.”

Sarah Smith, Leisure Centres General Manager, Chelmsford City Council

Dovedale Sports Centre is not up to the standard of Chelmsford's other community leisure centres. Pictured: Riverside, CSAC and SWFLC.

Increased public access to upgraded facilities

Under Dovedale’s current joint usage agreement, between Chelmsford City Council and Chelmsford College, access to the public is restricted to evenings, weekends, and school holidays. Once the project is complete, the general public will have greater access to mid-week mornings – a much-desired change according to Dovedale users.

The full refurbishment and remodelling plans include:

• Extensions to form a new reception area and expansion to the existing gymnasium.
• Refurbishment and remodelling works to all existing changing facilities, circulation spaces, and staff areas.
• Conversion of existing changing areas into a new studio space.
• Reconfiguring storage and other areas to maximise the overall use of the facilities.
• A new plant room, improving energy efficiency and carbon reduction.
• Provision of Air Source Heat Pumps to replace the current gas heating systems.
• Upgrading of existing electrical supply and services.
• Installation of new heating and domestic water system throughout.

Benefits to Chelmsford College

Of course, it’s not just centre customers who will benefit from the improved facilities – Chelmsford College students will get access to a whole new level of learning!

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“The much-needed refurbishment of the Dovedale Sports Centre presents an excellent opportunity for both the College and Chelmsford City Council to collaborate in providing a first-class facility for our students and the wider community.

"This upgrade will allow the College to enhance its health and well-being support for students, as well as meet the skills needs of local employers through improved sports and physical activity courses and programmes.”

David Warnes, Principal, Chelmsford College

Project timeline and information for existing users

Works will begin in June 2025, with the centre expected to re-open in early 2026.

Through the refurbishment process, Riverside, CSAC and SWFLC will seek to accommodate existing Dovedale members as well as the many sports clubs that currently use the centre. Dovedale’s management team has been working with clubs to facilitate their temporary relocation, and with Chelmsford College to minimise the closure’s impact on student activities.

If you have any questions about access to the centre, you can contact the team by emailing dovedalesportscentre@chelmsford.gov.uk or calling 01245 605685.