We continue to follow the Kingfisher Leisure Centre project closely as residents tell us that life without a local leisure centre is detrimental to their family time and childrens' life skills learning and that getting the Kingfisher back is a high priority for them. The earliest we can expect to have the Kingfisher open again is still a very long way off in 2027.
Under this Lib Dem council, the pool which needed just a £5m roof return was closed in 2019 and then demolished in 2022 without a plan. The new quote rose to an eyewatering £80m which was rejected on the basis of unaffordability. A new plan 2 years later was finally presented earlier this year.
Following the public exhibitions earlier this year, Kingston Council’s Place Committee (14 March) was asked to approve the next steps for the project.
The Committee was asked for their agreement to proceed to the next design stages, which will include further community engagement, with the aim of submitting a planning application for the scheme in Autumn 2024. Approval to appoint a construction partner for the project was also sought.
The design team, led by Alliance Leisure and architects Roberts Limbrick, will be asked to continue their ongoing work with the council to help engage with residents, community stakeholders, and potential future users over the coming months to ensure that the new design meets their needs. Should committee approval be granted to move forward, the revised designs for the building will be showcased in May 2024.
The leisure centre will deliver the range of activities that residents and stakeholders said they wanted to see, in an efficient two-storey building that will be designed to ensure the project can be delivered within an affordable budget.
We wait to see the next design stage.
