Refurbishment of Bishop’s Castle Arts and Leisure Centre approved
A programme of essential repairs and improvements to Bishop’s Castle Arts and Leisure Centre (also known as SpArC) has been given the go-ahead after Shropshire Council’s Cabinet agreed on Wednesday (10 September 2025) to allocate money from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) to help make it happen.
The refurbishment includes two major projects: a decarbonisation initiative and a pool refurbishment. The decarbonisation project will replace the aging and expensive to run oil-fired boiler with an all-electric heating system, significantly reducing carbon emissions by 70% and lowering running costs. The pool refurbishment will address essential repairs to the building’s roof and the installation of easy access steps, making the facility more accessible, especially for older people, families with babies and toddlers and the disabled.
The cost of these two important improvements is expected to cost £3.939 million, with funding coming from many different sources including:
- £2.454 million from the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme.
- £680,000 from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL).
- £505,000 from the council’s capital repairs budget.
- £250,000 donated by the Trustees of the Bishop’s Castle Save the SpArc charity.
Councillor James Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for leisure, said:
“This refurbishment is a significant investment in our community. It will not only enhance the facilities at SpArC but as more people use the centre it also will ensure its sustainability for future generations.
“While we face a financial emergency, it is worth nothing that this is a capital project and therefore the money does not come from Council Tax, nor is it something that can just be cancelled to save money in this financial year to keep the council afloat. In fact, the decarbonisation and expanded works are expected to reduce running costs via energy efficiency and reduced maintenance costs in the short to medium term, proving its benefit to the whole council in this time of crisis.”
SpArC has the benefit of being very well supported by its local community; there is an active group of Trustees who raise significant funds to provide enhancements to the SpArC site. They have already raised and invested over £250,000 including the provision of fitness equipment, a cafe, pocket park and donations towards the theatre and arts. A further £250,000 has now also been raised to put towards improvements to the pool.
James added:
“It’s an incredible achievement and a great example set by the Trustees and we’re very grateful for these generous contributions which will make such a difference to the centre and the people who use it. Our administration is keen to work in partnership with other communities across Shropshire in a similar fashion.”
Councillor Ruth Houghton, Shropshire Councillor for Bishop’s Castle, said:
“This is wonderful news for Bishop’s Castle and South West Shropshire. It means that local primary schools can teach pupils to swim, as is required in the national curriculum, without having to travel too far.
“I would like to thank the local community, including individuals, community groups, local businesses and town and parish councils, for all their support. It has been generous and unwavering during the fundraising campaign. This is a huge achievement which everyone should be very proud of.”
CIL money refers to funds collected by local authorities in England and Wales through the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), a charge on new development projects. Developers pay this levy to fund local infrastructure and services, such as roads, health facilities, and schools, that are needed to support the new development and communities. A portion of the CIL collected in a specific neighbourhood is also reinvested there, as a response to the increased development in that area.
To find out more, people can read the Cabinet report here:
