Willmott Dixon signs Cranleigh Leisure Centre preconstruction agreement

Willmott Dixon has signed a preconstruction services agreement with Waverley Borough Council for the new Cranleigh Leisure Centre, beginning a detailed planning phase intended to establish the final design, costs and construction arrangements ahead of a proposed site start in early 2027.

The contractor announced the agreement on 16 October, following the council’s confirmation of the milestone three days earlier. Willmott Dixon had previously been selected as preferred contractor, and the latest appointment allows the project team to develop the scheme alongside architect GT3, council representatives and leisure operator Everyone Active.

The replacement centre is expected to open in autumn 2028, reflecting a revised programme for the development. It is being designed to meet the Passivhaus standard, with operational energy demand expected to be approximately 60% lower than that of a typical leisure centre.

The energy reduction remains a design target rather than a measured outcome. Achieving it will depend on the specification and construction of the building envelope, the performance of mechanical and electrical systems, and the way the completed facility is managed. Leisure buildings can have substantial energy requirements because different areas need heating, ventilation and humidity control under varying operating conditions.

Passivhaus principles place particular emphasis on limiting unwanted heat loss and maintaining controlled ventilation. Continuous insulation, airtight construction and careful detailing around structural junctions reduce the energy required to maintain suitable internal temperatures. Mechanical ventilation systems can also recover heat from extracted air, reducing the demand placed on heating plant where the building’s operating requirements permit.

The application of these principles to leisure facilities introduces additional design constraints. Spaces used for swimming, exercise and changing may require different temperatures and ventilation rates, while areas containing swimming pools have to accommodate moisture released from the water surface. These conditions influence the selection and operation of heating, ventilation and dehumidification equipment.

High humidity can lead to condensation where moisture reaches surfaces whose temperature is below the dew point of the surrounding air. The building design must therefore coordinate ventilation, insulation and the treatment of thermal bridges to maintain suitable surface temperatures and indoor conditions. The detailed approach for Cranleigh will be determined during design development, and the latest contractor statement does not identify the final plant specification.

The preconstruction agreement provides an opportunity to examine these requirements before the main building works begin. Structural arrangements, building services routes, plant space and access for maintenance can be considered together, reducing the likelihood of conflicts between disciplines during installation. Early coordination is especially important where energy performance objectives require careful control of penetrations through the external envelope.

Window and glazing design will also influence the building’s thermal performance. The arrangement of openings affects daylight, solar heat gain and heat loss, while the choice of glazing and shading can help manage internal conditions. These considerations have to be balanced against the architectural requirements of a public leisure facility, including visibility, accessibility and circulation between different spaces.

GT3 has been appointed as architect, bringing experience of designing leisure buildings to Passivhaus principles. Its role during the current phase will include progressing the architectural scheme with the wider consultant and contractor team. Final construction details and building services interfaces must be coordinated before the development can move into physical delivery.

The council has also identified construction logistics as an important part of the preconstruction programme. The new facility is planned for the Village Way car park area, where parking arrangements and access during the works have generated local concern. Willmott Dixon has committed to maintaining at least 100 parking spaces in the Village Way car park throughout construction.

Waverley Borough Council will work with the contractor to explore whether additional spaces can remain available. Its figures indicate that Cranleigh’s two principal public car parks, Village Way and Stocklund Square, operate at approximately 50% capacity on average, although demand rises during particular periods, including market days and Saturday mornings.

Maintaining parking within an active construction environment requires the site layout to accommodate both public movements and contractor operations. Delivery vehicles, temporary compounds, construction access and pedestrian routes must be planned around the available space, while the boundaries separating work areas from public parking need to change safely as the building programme advances.

These constraints can influence the sequence of groundworks, structural construction and external infrastructure installation. The location of temporary access routes and the arrangements for materials deliveries may affect when different parts of the site can be developed. The final logistics plan will therefore form part of the detailed work undertaken before construction begins.

The project will replace the existing leisure centre, which dates from 1969 and is considered no longer financially viable in its present form. Waverley Borough Council expects the new development to provide improved facilities while generating income through its operating arrangement with Everyone Active, which will continue managing the leisure service.

The council has previously revised the project budget and timetable as the scheme progressed through planning and contractor selection. The preconstruction agreement is intended to provide greater certainty over the final construction costs and delivery arrangements before the project enters its main building phase.

The agreement does not represent completion of the main works procurement process or evidence that construction has started. Funding and future delivery commitments remain material considerations as the council progresses the scheme, particularly given the revised programme and the transition towards the new West Surrey local government arrangements.

Willmott Dixon managing director Richard Poulter has confirmed that the contractor will work with the council and project partners over the coming months to develop the design and delivery plans. The construction approach must accommodate the intended environmental performance of the building while maintaining access and reducing disruption around the development site.

Detailed preconstruction work will now determine how the approved architectural proposals, building services and site logistics can be brought together within the available budget and programme. Construction is targeted for early 2027, with opening planned for autumn 2028. Those dates remain dependent on the completion of the remaining development and delivery arrangements.