Harrogate Leisure & Wellness Centre

The Challenge

Harrogate Leisure & Wellness Centre, formerly Harrogate Hydro, was refurbished as part of a £47.9 million leisure transformation programme led by North Yorkshire Council alongside the new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre. The project involved upgrading ageing mechanical and electrical services within a live, operational leisure facility, requiring careful phasing to maintain full public access. Works had to be integrated into existing infrastructure with significant compatibility and space constraints, while ensuring minimal disruption to users. The wider programme also demanded consistency in quality and delivery across multiple sites within the council’s leisure investment strategy.

Our Solution

At Harrogate Leisure & Wellness Centre, Hensall delivered a fully coordinated mechanical and electrical refurbishment as part of the wider £47.9 million leisure transformation programme led by North Yorkshire Council. Working within a live operational environment, the team carefully phased the works to keep the centre open while upgrading ageing building services. The mechanical and electrical systems were modernised to improve heating, cooling, ventilation, power, lighting, and controls, all integrated within existing infrastructure constraints. Close coordination with the wider programme, including the new Knaresborough Leisure and Wellness Centre, ensured consistency across the council’s leisure investment, delivering improved efficiency, reliability, and user comfort.

Length of Job	12 Months
M&E Value	£2,255,274.87
Competed Date	September 2023
Contractor	Alliance Leisure

Electrical Project Manager

Luke Scott

Mechanical Project Manager

Gareth Dransfield

69%

increase in learn to swim programme uptake

£13.5m

Total Investment

Opened

Sept 2023

31%

above membership target

The re-opening of the new and improved Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre will ensure that continues to be the case. It is also pleasing that energy-efficiency has been at the heart of the project, in line with our climate pledges, and this will serve as an example for other facilities across the county.

Councillor Simon Myers
Executive Member for Culture, Arts and Housing, North Yorkshire Council

Investment in the old Hydro has transformed the facility and future proofed leisure provision for many years to come. In addition to the visible improvements, there is so much that has gone on behind the scenes to make this centre more energy efficient. Air source heat pumps have replaced existing gas boilers and 250 solar panels have been installed along with new energy monitoring and control systems. These measures are expected to half the carbon footprint of the leisure centre. This is great news for the council’s net zero targets, great news for residents and ultimately, great news for the planet.

James Foley
Commercial Director, Alliance Leisure

Have a project in mind?

Our team delivers efficient, high-quality refurbishments tailored to your project needs. Get in touch to discuss how we can support your vision.

Contact us at info@hensall.com 
or call us on 01977 661318

Harrogate Leisure & Wellness Centre

The Challenge