Leisure as a Catalyst for Healthier Communities
17 Jun 2026
As councils and health services face growing pressure to improve outcomes with limited resources, prevention has become a central pillar of public policy. In North East Derbyshire, Clay Cross Active is demonstrating how community leisure facilities can play a much bigger role in supporting healthier lives and reducing demand on frontline services.
The £26.3 million health and wellbeing hub, which opened in June 2025, was delivered by Alliance Leisure through the UK Leisure Framework, which is owned and managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL), for North East Derbyshire District Council. Replacing the ageing Sharley Park Leisure Centre, the facility forms part of the wider Clay Cross Town Investment Plan and has been designed to address barriers to physical activity while connecting residents with wider health and support services.
The need for change was clear. Research and consultation with more than 850 residents identified a range of factors preventing people from leading active lifestyles, including cost, lack of confidence, accessibility challenges and limited awareness of available opportunities. Residents also highlighted the importance of modern swimming facilities, inclusive activity spaces and stronger links between leisure and wellbeing services.
Rather than simply replacing an outdated leisure centre, the council set out to create a community hub capable of supporting long-term health improvement.
The result is a facility that combines a 100-station gym, 25-metre swimming pool, learner pool, sports hall, wellness suite, community spaces and family attractions with on-site health and advice services. Citizens Advice North East Derbyshire now operates from the centre, while the Chesterfield Royal Hospital Community Midwifery Team delivers antenatal and postnatal care on site.
The impact has been immediate. Within eight months of opening, membership had reached 3,447, compared with just 725 members at the previous facility. Participation has also increased significantly, with 42,562 visits recorded in February 2026 alone, almost three times the 14,157 visits recorded at the former centre in February 2023.
Health-focused programmes are already making a difference, with more than 400 exercise referrals received from local GPs, and the co-location of services is proving particularly valuable. Citizens Advice is delivering around 150 face-to-face appointments every month, representing a 25 per cent increase in engagement, while NHS midwifery services facilitate approximately 425 appointments each month. These services are introducing new audiences to the centre and helping create lasting connections with health and wellbeing activities.
Aquatics provision has also seen strong demand. More than 800 learners are now enrolled in swimming lessons, helping address a waiting list that exceeded 500 people before the new centre opened.
A key feature of the facility is its focus on accessibility and inclusion. Features such as a Changing Places facility, pool hoist and Innerva power-assisted exercise suite ensure residents of all ages and abilities can participate with confidence.
For Michael Price, Centre Manager at North East Derbyshire District Council, the success of the project demonstrates the wider role leisure facilities can play in supporting community wellbeing:
“Clay Cross Active has been a huge community success story. We wanted to create a space where everyone feels welcome, comfortable and able to connect through social interactions that support strong mental and emotional health. The uplift in visits, particularly from groups who were previously disengaged, demonstrates that we are achieving this.”
As local authorities continue to explore innovative approaches to improving public health, Clay Cross Active offers a compelling example of prevention in practice. More than a leisure centre, it demonstrates how investment in community infrastructure can deliver lasting benefits for people, place and public services alike.
