Wanstead Leisure Centre set for 2025 opening

Construction work on Wanstead Leisure Centre is on schedule and the venue is set to open in 2025.

The new £16m facility, owned by Redbridge Council and designed by Stanley Bragg Architects, has been described as “more than just a typical leisure centre” as it will extend both Wanstead High School and Wanstead Leisure Centre.

As part of the council’s wider plan for regeneration and growth to the area, the £16m development will span over three blocks, with a 4,200sq m building housing four new classrooms, a dining hall and a commercial kitchen.

The existing leisure centre building will be extended to house a 25m swimming pool, dance studios, a new reception area and accessible changing rooms for users. The project will feature several energy-efficient features to help ensure the new building has a low carbon footprint, including high-quality windows and improved air sealing to reduce energy loss; natural and mechanicalventilation systems; high-efficiency boilers and smart lighting controls. There will also be solar panels on the roof of the teaching block, generating enough electricity to cover 20% of the teaching block’s energy needs.

Kam Rai, Leader of Redbridge Council, said: “Few local authorities are currently investing in leisure facilities, building swimming pools, and creating new classrooms for pupils. We are therefore very proud to be able to provide this vital infrastructure to local people in our borough.

“Like all local residents, I want the leisure centre up and running quickly.”