The John Charles Centre for Sport is the largest and most diverse complex of its kind in the north of England, combining world-class sports facilities with spectacular hospitality opportunities.

KKP prepared the business, marketing and swimming development plans for the new Leeds Aquatics Centre at the John Charles Centre for Sport in South Leeds Stadium.

(Image: The Aquatics Centre at the John Charles Centre for Sport)The Aquatics Centre, opened in 2007, is the most recent addition to the John Charles Centre for Sport, offering the only 50 metre swimming in Leeds and West Yorkshire.

The facility boasts an impressive range of world-class facilities including a 50m x 25m pool with booms and movable floor and a diving pool, also with a movable floor.

Our plans took account of the sensitivities of proposed community use and were accompanied by documentation that clearly set out the financial considerations and assumptions relating to the operation of the proposed facilities.

Pre existing estimates and figures were evaluated, challenged and revised. This ensured that operational plans and impacts were fully appraised and subjected to detailed sensitivity analysis.

They were used to underpin the city's long term financial planning as well as forming part of the bid submission for Sport England scrutiny.

Although previous schemes presented by the City Council had failed to attract the necessary support from Sport England, however the new plan received final approval from the Lottery Fund and an award of £5 million towards the new Centre was confirmed in September 2003.

KKP's work in Leeds informed a similar assignment; the Spirit of Light 50m pool and Wellness Centre in Sunderland, officially opened in April 2008. This was successful in the face of stiff competition from Newcastle. It received just under £5m of funding from Sport England. KKP was also instrumental in the development of the pool specification to obtain flexibility for both elite swimming and competitive use.