Clay Cross Active.

In June 2025, the doors opened on Clay Cross Active, a landmark £26.3m leisure and wellbeing hub designed to transform health, wellbeing and community connectivity in North East Derbyshire.

Located within Sharley Park, the new centre replaces the ageing Sharley Park Leisure Centre and forms a key component of the Clay Cross Town Investment Plan. 

The replacement of the ageing leisure centre emerged as one of the community’s top priorities, alongside improved facilities for young people, enhanced public spaces and stronger connections between health and wellbeing services.

Clay Cross Active was created in response to social, health, and infrastructure challenges in Clay Cross and North East Derbyshire. The old Sharley Park Leisure Centre, built in the 1970s, had structural issues, limited accessibility, outdated facilities, high operating costs and depended heavily on council subsidies.

Clay Cross, a former coal-mining town, has seen major investment through the Clay Cross Town Deal, which aims to revitalise the area, build new homes and businesses and support long-term growth. The Council seeks to improve health, wellbeing, and quality of life by addressing deprivation with targeted regeneration and inclusive development.

The goal was to update both the physical environment and community infrastructure, encouraging healthier lifestyles and greater economic participation.

Community consultation helped shape Clay Cross Active to meet current needs and align with the town’s vision for regeneration. Research pinpointed barriers to physical activity: cost, confidence, awareness, accessibility, facility quality, childcare and motivation. Over 850 residents participated in consultations, confirming the need for modern, accessible amenities. 

Clay Cross Active was designed to directly respond to community challenges. The resulting facility brings together a wide range of sport, fitness and community amenities, including:

• A 100-station gym
• Immersive group cycling studio
• Four-court sports hall
• 25-metre, six-lane swimming pool
• Learner pool with spectator seating
• Wellness suite featuring a 10-station Innerva power-assisted exercise circuit
• TAGactive indoor adventure play
• Soft play facilities
• Multi-purpose community activity spaces
• Consultation rooms
• Café with pool viewing gallery
• Outdoor play area
• 3G Football Pitch

Beyond the building itself, Sharley Park has also been enhanced with new outdoor spaces including a full-size floodlit 3G pitch, improved play areas and enhanced social and recreation spaces.

Importantly, the facility also incorporates co-located health and community services, further strengthening its role as a community hub.

Citizens Advice North East Derbyshire now operates from the centre, providing accessible advice services for residents. In addition, the Chesterfield Royal Hospital Community Midwifery Team is based at Clay Cross Active, delivering antenatal and postnatal care in modern, easily accessible facilities.

By bringing together physical activity opportunities with health and advice services, the centre supports early intervention, prevention and long-term wellbeing whilst also relieving pressure on primary care services.

Accessibility was identified as a key reason why local people were not engaging in physical activity, was a central design priority. The facility features an inclusive changing village alongside a Changing Places facility, a pool pod and hoist to enable easy access in and out of the water plus a lift for easy access between floors.

The car park provided ample provision and included allocated spaces for families and blue badge holders. Secure racks were also provided for those who preferred to cycle to the venue. All of these measures ensure the centre can be used comfortably by everyone, including people with disabilities and those requiring additional support.

The Innerva wellness suite in particular, kitted out with power-assisted strength equipment, has been integrated to support individuals who may feel put off by a traditional gym environment, including older adults, people recovering from trauma and those living with long-term health conditions.

Designed by GT3 Architects, sustainability and long-term operational efficiency were central to the design of Clay Cross Active, with a clear commitment to reducing environmental impact while minimising running costs for the local authority.

The building adopts a fabric-first approach, prioritising high levels of insulation, air tightness and thermal performance to reduce overall energy demand. This is complemented by a compact building form, considered orientation and effective thermal zoning, ensuring that energy is used efficiently across different areas of the facility. As a result, the development achieves a 30% improvement over the notional Building Regulations target and has been awarded an EPC rating of A.

Efficient building services further enhance performance. High-efficiency air source heat pumps provide low-carbon heating, while a roof-mounted photovoltaic array generates renewable electricity on site. Internally, energy use is carefully managed through the installation of four-pipe fan coil units with EC motors and intelligent controls, allowing simultaneous heating and cooling where required without unnecessary energy waste.

Ventilation systems and circulation pumps are fitted with inverter-driven variable speed drives, ensuring that systems operate only at the level required, while energy-efficient LED lighting with smart controls reduces electricity consumption throughout the building. All systems are integrated through a centralised Building Management System, enabling real-time monitoring and optimisation of performance.

The scheme also supports the transition to low-carbon transport, with electric vehicle charging infrastructure and cycle parking encouraging more sustainable travel choices.

Clay Cross Active is already delivering strong results, removing barriers to participation through inclusive design, flexible pricing and an expanded programme.

• Membership reached 3,447 in the first eight months (vs 725 at the previous centre), exceeding the original Year Five target.
• 42,562 visits were recorded in February 2026 (vs 14,157 in February 2023 at the former facility).
• A varied programme is attracting new audiences, with TAGactive formats engaging families, teenagers and adults.
• Targeted health and wellbeing support includes an Innerva power-assisted suite and an exercise referral programme with 400+ referrals from local health professionals.
• Aquatics is thriving, with 800+ learners in swimming lessons and improved capacity against historic waiting lists.
• Co-located services are increasing access: Citizens Advice delivers 150 face-to-face appointments per month (a 25% uplift), and NHS midwifery supports around 425 appointments per month.
• The café is widening access and boosting dwell time, generating £31,338 in revenue in February.
• The 3G pitch attracts 4,000 visits per month in peak season, supporting inclusive community sport.