New £80m Woolwich Waves opens its doors to the public

Woolwich Waves leisure centre in east London opened its doors to the public on New Year’s Day 2026.

The centre, designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects, will feature a 25m, eight-lane swimming pool, leisure pool with flumes and slides, a teacher training pool and a large health club with a two-storey gym floor and multi-purpose exercise studios.

There will also be two large sports halls, squash courts, a soft play area and a range of community spaces – as well as a 3G, five-a-side football pitch on the top floor of the building.

Owned by The Royal Borough of Greenwich (RBG) council, the centre is being built by Morgan Sindall with Buro Happold providing engineering support.

RBG has now handed the building over to leisure management company GLL, which will operate the facility under its Better brand.

Peter Bundey, GLL CEO, said: “The new centre is already creating significant community interest.

This iconic facility is much more than a fitting replacement of the popular Waterfront Leisure Centre; it is a proud civic statement.

“As a charitable social enterprise and worker-owned co-op we welcome the chance to also use Woolwich Waves to widen and deepen employment and social opportunity for local people.”

The multi-million-pound Woolwich Waves forms a key part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s £115 million regeneration plan for the area, which has included the refurbishment of the Tramshed Theatre. The plans will also result in the demolition of the existing Waterside Leisure Centre, which the Woolwich Waves will replace when open.

Anthony Okereke, Leader of the RBG, said: “The opening is the moment that thousands of residents have been waiting for.

“Woolwich Waves will be at the forefront of improving the quality of life and health of our residents.”