New milestone for Highlight Leisure Centre
Our construction of Hartlepool’s new flagship Highlight Active Wellbeing Hub has reached an exciting new milestone with the multi-million pound development entering the final stage.
Located at The Waterfront within Hartlepool marina, the state-of-the-art facility will replace Mill House Leisure Centre, which opened its doors in 1972 and has now reached the end of its operational life.
Highlight is set to become one of the most impressive community leisure and active wellbeing destinations in the region, with a range of accessible, affordable and high-quality facilities including three pools, a 100-station gym, two interconnecting fitness suites and a spin studio.
To mark the latest milestone, a time capsule was buried within Highlight’s grounds at a special ceremony. The capsule contains a range of items that help to tell the story of the development.
Reaching this milestone brings us closer to opening a fantastic new active wellbeing hub for the people of Hartlepool. This project is far more than an impressive building, it’s a space designed for everyone to relax, socialise and be active together. As we enter the final stage, I can see that this facility truly reflects our purpose at Wates which is to reimagine places for people to thrive. I would like to offer my sincere thanks to everyone whose hard work and dedication have brought this vision to life.”
David Wingfield
Managing Director of Construction East
Highlight Active Wellbeing Hub is going to have a truly transformative effect on our town. It will open up incredible opportunities for people of all ages to lead healthier, happier lives. It represents a major investment in our future, and it will have a profound impact on the wellbeing, confidence, and pride of our community for many years to come.
This is a truly exciting milestone. It demonstrates our ambition, our energy and our determination to build a stronger, more active and healthier Hartlepool — a place where everyone can thrive.
Hartlepool is a fantastic place to live, work and visit. The development of Highlight in its iconic setting on The Waterfront and our wider regeneration programme demonstrates how we are on the up and really going places as a borough.”
Councillor Pamela Hargreaves
Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council
Construction began in early 2024 and following final fit-out and a period of thorough testing Highlight will open in the summer.
Highlight was procured through the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) framework and is being funded by Hartlepool Borough Council, Tees Valley Combined Authority, and Sport England.
