PLANNING permission for a state of the art David Lloyd Leisure club has been approved by Harlow Council.

Approval was granted last week.

The new leisure club will sit opposite the Harlow Innovation Park near Newhall.

The applicants have stated that club would create 80 -100 jobs on top of around 60 construction jobs.

The decision by David Lloyd Leisure will be seen by many as a vote of confidence in the regeneration plans for the town and beyond.

Plans for the family-friendly Club include:
A new state of the art gym
Heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools
Premium group exercise studios
Family facilities including indoor soft play and DL Kids Club
Match-quality tennis, padel, pickleball and badminton facilities
Premium Spa with Spa Garden


David Lloyd Leisure is passionate about making its Clubs a comfortable and welcoming place for members to come together with friends and family to promote physical and mental health and wellness.

The plans will also feature a stylish Clubroom for members to meet with friends or enjoy a bite to eat, as well as large and inviting spaces to work, relax and socialise. Family sits right at the heart of David Lloyd Clubs and plans include a range of facilities for children as well as adults including a soft play, and spaces for after-school and holiday clubs, offering fun and active childcare solutions for parents outside of school hours.

The Group is committed to creating positive communities both inside and outside of its clubs and will explore opportunities to develop local community partnerships. The new Club will complement the Innovation Park’s vision of creating a healthy and sustainable community, as well as supporting the wider regeneration of Harlow. David Lloyd Leisure has made a commitment to become carbon neutral by 2023 and the new Club will incorporate the latest in sustainability technology to ensure it operates as efficiently as possible.

Stuart Caswell, New Clubs Acquisition Director at David Lloyd Leisure said; “We believe that Harlow with its thriving community and fantastic transport connections would make the perfect location for a new David Lloyd Club. Our plan is to construct a state-of-the-art health and wellness Club that not only enhances the area and creates a range of new jobs and opportunities for the local community, but also reflects the needs of people living in the area”.

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Harlow Council has made a number of stipulations regarding the approval.

Including

Prior to the commencement of all works on site, the developer shall submit details of a proposed Community Use Agreement to the Local Planning Authority to make the sports facilities and swimming pool available for use by primary school children for an allotted period each week during term time and in school hours.

The signed Community Use Agreement shall be agreed prior to first occupation and adhered to for the lifetime of the development unless approval is obtained for a variation of this condition through the submission of a planning application.

Prior to the commencement of development, the developer shall prepare an Employment and Skills Plan which demonstrates its commitment to providing construction employment opportunities for residents of the Harlow district to deliver the approved development. The plan shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.

Full details of the approval notice can be found on the planning section of Harlow Council’s website. Look for HW/FUL/24/00138