Waterfront Leisure Centre to close as move is approved by council

Councillors agreed to close the Waterfront Leisure Centre and move services to Viscount House, next to General Gordon Square, in the centre of the town.

The move has been long planned, with the current centre needing expensive maintenance work to be brought up to scratch.

An officers’ report explained: “The project will enable the council to re-provide the leisure centre facilities in the town centre supporting the regeneration ambitions of the council and its commitment to the Woolwich town centre.

“Given the age of the building, a new-build leisure centre is the overall best value option.

“Some investment will be required to keep the existing centre operational until the new centre is built.”

The scheme has been split into two phases – which may lead to “cash-flow” problems, according to officers, who say reserves may be needed.

Phase one will have the new centre built in the heart of the town, with a second development bringing new houses behind the site.

It is not clear yet whether the new houses will be built by the council or whether the land will be sold to developers.

Councillors will now consult on what will be in the new leisure centre before a provider and a final design are picked and a planning application submitted.

It comes as 44 per cent of young people in Woolwich Riverside have been deemed overweight.

“One of the key aims of the project is to get residents who currently do not take part in physical activity to use the new leisure centre,” officers said.

The council’s cabinet agreed to take the scheme forward at a cabinet meeting on January 23.

Councillors have proposed a timely motion for next week’s full council meeting calling for a crackdown on what’s being sold in leisure centre and library vending machines.

A band of Labour councillors have called for only healthy snacks to be available, and want more scrutiny over what is sold on the high street amid a rise in dessert parlours.