1. Design and proposal survey February 2026
Design and proposals survey
The public survey provided an opportunity for everyone in the community to share their views and help shape the town’s next chapter.
We asked for your views to help shape how the new Leisure and Community Wellbeing Centre is used and experienced by local people.
While the main facilities are already planned, you can help us decide how spaces feel, work, and what features will make them welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.
The public survey provided an opportunity for everyone in the community to share their views and help shape the town’s next chapter.
The survey closed on 4 of March 2026.
A full survey summary report has been produced which can be viewed below.
Cranbrook leisure survey summary report pdf
Outcomes of the survey
The survey was hosted online via Commonplace, with responses submitted through the Cranbrook survey site. In total it received 979 contributions.
The survey shows strong public support for the new Cranbrook Leisure and Wellbeing Centre, with most respondents saying they are likely to use it once it opens. The strongest demand is for the swimming pool, gym, café/social spaces and exercise studios, alongside a building that feels bright, welcoming and easy to navigate.
Key Themes
Use of the building.
- Very likely: 54.9%
- Quite likely: 37.5%
- Not sure: 5.6%
Top Areas of use
- 25 metre swimming pool: 23.1%
- Gym / fitness suite: 17.2%
- Café / social spaces: 16.8%
Intended Travel Options
- Walking: 48.8%
- Car or taxi: 29.2%
- Cycling: 14.5%
Appearance, feel and Landscaping
- Bright and airy: 34.4%
- Warm and welcoming: 24.7%
- Calm and relaxing: 21.4%
Green planting was the clear top priority, with outdoor social spaces also strongly supported.
Gym & Fitness Priorities
- Free weights and strength equipment
- Cardio machines
- Resistance and cable machines
Class preferences
- Pilates and yoga
- HIIT / circuits
- Spin
Library space priorities
- Comfortable, functional spaces
- A well‑resourced core library offer
- Flexible community use, including work pods and family‑friendly area
While many of the key themes above have been considered or adopted in the design, there were several areas of feedback and suggestions made that cannot be included or needed further clarification. We received a variety of comments and feedback from the previous survey. We felt it was important at this stage to share these and explain the reasons for the decisions made in the project plan. Below, we have addressed the comments left on the previous survey.
Spa, Sauna & Hydrotherapy
The choice to leave out a spa and sauna from the new leisure centre design helps keep the project affordable, environmentally sustainable, and focused on maximising community benefits. Thermal facilities use a large amount of energy and have high maintenance costs, which would take money away from key community needs. By prioritising flexible, larger spaces like multiple pools, a large gym and multi-purpose studios, the council is investing in accessible health and wellbeing opportunities for residents of all ages.
50m Pool
We are pleased to say that the proposed pool size (25m) is designed to accommodate both Cranbrook & Marlcombe population requirements. We did review the opportunity for a 50m pool but had challenges specifically with the size of the site. It is also worth noting that a 50m pool is often less practical than a 25m pool for the following reasons.
User Experience & Development - For beginners, a 50m lane can be psychologically daunting and physically exhausting, making it difficult to set short-term distance goals. Recreational swimmers often prefer the frequent breaks provided by 25m laps, and recreational swimming was highlighted as a key intended use for more than a quarter of the survey respondents (25.2%). Swimming lessons will be a key offer of the centre and coaches often find it difficult to provide feedback to swimmers in a 50m pool because they cannot easily walk around the pool to observe technique. For these reasons 50m pools are often shortened with booms to the detriment of competitive users wishing to swim 50m laps.
Feasibility Concerns - Building and maintaining a 50m pool is significantly more expensive than a 25m pool. Up front it requires more material and land to build and in operation it requires double the water, heating, chemicals, and filtration. Operating costs and staffing needs, like additional lifeguards, can scale up quickly, making it a financial burden for many facilities and in the case or Cranbrook Leisure, could affect whether the project can go ahead.
50m pools are currently available at Plymouth and Tavistock, within the driving distance that Swim England want 50m to be available.
Sports Hall
Whilst a 50m pool concept was reviewed, sports halls were never an intended part of the brief. The site does not have capacity to accommodate this facility and there are local sports hall facilities in the immediate area which can be booked outside of school hours, at both Cranbrook Education Campus and Broadclyst Leisure Centre.
Paid for parking
The introduction of a nominal parking fee is an intentional step to encourage active travel and support our BREEAM 'Excellent' environmental commitments. By charging a small amount for parking, the fee intends to encourage visitors to consider healthier, lower-carbon alternatives such as walking, cycling, or using public transport for their journey. Ultimately, this initiative helps make the way people travel to the centre match its overall aim of supporting a healthier community and a cleaner, more sustainable local environment.
Delivery Timescale
East Devon District Council are working very closely with the Design Team to bring the Leisure & Wellbeing Centre forward as quickly as possible. Having only begun early work to test what is possible last summer, the project is moving faster than first expected, and we anticipate a planning application being submitted in June 2026, with work on site beginning in 2027 and the centre opening in the second half of 2028.
Accessibility and Safety
The new Cranbrook Leisure & Wellbeing Centre has been designed with inclusivity at its core, fully aligning with Sport England accessibility guidance to ensure sport and physical activity are open to everyone. To guarantee the highest standards of design that works for everyone, the project team is currently carrying out a detailed access review to remove barriers for visitors of all abilities.
Furthermore, directly addressing community feedback from our recent survey regarding privacy, the facility will include a mix of male, female, gender-neutral shared changing areas, family, and group changing rooms. This tailored layout balances the need for better individual privacy with the flexible, secure spaces required by families.