New leisure centre in Kingston
New leisure centre in Kingston
New leisure centre for Kingston will form centrepiece of major heritage-led regeneration of town centre
Plans for a fantastic new leisure centre for everyone that will sit at the heart of a new civic space in Kingston town centre are moving forward as an exciting heritage-led regeneration project begins to take shape on the site of the Kingfisher leisure centre.
The brand new state-of-the-art facility to replace the Kingfisher will open in 2024. It will meet the highest accessibility standards to ensure it truly is a facility for all. It forms the centrepiece of Kingston Council’s Transform Kingston plans to reimagine the borough.
Award-winning architects FaulknerBrowns have been brought onboard to design the new centre and public open spaces, with top class leisure facilities for everyone to enjoy. It will include two new pools, a splash deck and soft play area for children, squash courts, fitness studios, a clip and climb wall and 5-a-side football pitches on the roof. There will be access and sports facilities for people with disabilities throughout.
It will also connect much more effectively to the neighbouring Kingston Museum and library, providing a whole range of leisure and cultural opportunities for everyone and making the most of the borough’s rich heritage and special history.
Leader of Kingston Council Andreas Kirsch said:
“We want this new leisure and cultural space to be a celebration of the borough’s unique history and heritage – a place for all our wonderful diverse communities to be proud of and enjoy. The leisure centre will be a facility for the whole community, with accessibility at its very heart and sports and recreational facilities that cater for all needs.
“Building a new leisure centre is also the right decision in terms of Kingston’s response to the climate emergency. The existing Kingfisher building is old and energy inefficient. The new centre will be built to the highest and most advanced environmental standards so Kingston can have a leisure centre that is truly sustainable for many years to come.”
The council is asking residents to give their feedback on the latest designs. You can get involved and have your say at kingstonletstalk.co.uk/transform-kingston. The survey is open until 31 December 2021.
