Green Light for Controversial Gurnell Leisure Centre Plan
Councillors approve demolition and rebuild with 300 flats
CGI of the skate park with one of the housing blocks in the rear. Picture: Ealing Council
January 16, 2025
Proposals for the redevelopment of the Gurnell Leisure Centre site have been approved by councillors on the Ealing borough planning committee.
The application was for a scheme which will see a new leisure centre built along with 300 flats in buildings up to ten storeys high.
The councillors were presented with a report from planning officers at the meeting this Wednesday evening (15 January) recommending approval despite a large number of objections to the plan.
Over 400 people and local resident groups expressed opposition on a number of grounds including that the development is being made on what is Metropolitan Open Land and flood risk but planning officers argued that the benefits of the scheme such as new housing and a modern leisure centre, outweighed any harms.
The committee voted by 11 to one in favour of the application with only opposition councillor Anthony Young against.
The previous three storey leisure centre was built in the eighties and has not reopened since it was shut during the pandemic. The council argued that it provided better value to redevelop the site rather than try and bring the ‘outdated’ facility up to standard.
The new leisure centre will, like the previous one, have a 50-metre swimming pool, one of just three public pools of this size in London. There will also be a water park-style area featuring slides and a lazy river as well as an upgraded gym, a climbing wall and a cafe.
The scheme also includes proposals to rejuvenate surrounding parkland which will feature a new skate park and a pump track, as well as an adults’ gym and children’s playground. 450 trees are expected to be planted around the site.
A visualisation of the 50-metre swimming pool in the planned centre. Picture: Ealing Council
About a third of the homes in the development will be affordable.
The housing element will also be a ‘car-free’ development, meaning residents will not be provided with a parking space. Councillor Anthony Young raised concerns during the planning meeting that residents would park in nearby roads, putting pressure on existing residents.
A council officer responded, “The scheme and what’s been agreed is a controlled parking zone review, and we will be looking at parking stress measures… making sure residents are not able to gain car parking permits is considered important to reduce the impact.”
Deputy Mayor Cllr Anthony Kelly later added,“We can’t continue to build residences with parking… it is a derelict site at the moment and it would be a dereliction of my duty not to grant this tonight.”
Eric Leach, Vice Chair of West Ealing Neighbours, told the committee, “All the buildings in this scheme exceed the tall build threshold for the area by 21 meters. The old centre could have been repaired in 2021 after the pandemic… we need a new pool but not an entire leisure centre.”
An aerial overview of the proposed Gurnell development from the planning documents
Leader of Ealing Council, Councillor Peter Mason, said, “The Gurnell Leisure Centre was not just a hub for health and fitness - it was the face of leisure for multiple generations of the community. Thousands of children across the borough learnt to swim there, while for others it provided an opportunity to exercise, unwind, and socialise with friends and family.
“With the new plans being approved, we’re pleased that we’ve taken a major step forward in providing a new venue that can continue the Gurnell Leisure Centre’s legacy on an even larger scale. Residents of all ages and abilities can visit, putting a focus on improving their health and wellbeing.
A visualisation of housing in the Gurnell development. Picture: Ealing Council
Councillor Blerina Hashani, cabinet member for thriving communities said, ‘The approval of the new leisure centre by Ealing Council’s planning committee represents a milestone achievement.
“The current plans were carefully crafted with three of the council’s priorities in mind: health and wellbeing, economy, and sustainability. While the new leisure centre will provide facilities for residents to prioritise their health and engage in sports, the exciting proposal offers a boost to the local economy and will supply new employment opportunities to the community.”
The plans will now be subject to approval by the Greater London Authority (GLA) but campaigners who have fought the scheme are not optimistic that the Mayor’s team will block the scheme given the pressure to revive housing starts in London although the level of affordable units is below the Mayor’s target.
If the GLA approves the plan, the council will seek to appoint a contractor to begin construction on the site and demolish the existing building. The demolition is projected to begin in spring of this year with works due to start in autumn/winter this year. It is estimated the centre will open in 2027/28.
Written with contributions by Philip James Lynch
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