Ealing Council’s planning committee has given its approval for the redevelopment of Gurnell into a new leisure centre along with housing.
The new site will include a 50-metre swimming pool along with a range of health and fitness facilities including a gym and climbing wall as well as building 300 homes of which around a third being affordable.
Gurnell Leisure Centre, which opened in the early 1980s, closed in 2020 during Covid and a decision was made by the council at the end of lockdown not to reopen due to the building being outdated.
Leader of Ealing Council, Councillor Peter Mason, said: “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.”
Since releasing details of its plans for Gurnell in May 2024, residents and campaigners have raised concerns over what they call “inappropriate development on protected land and the dangerous precedent it will set” which has been designed by architects Mikhail Riches.
The latest planning application came three years after the original planning application for Gurnell was refused in May 2021.
The chair of Brent River & Canal Society (BRCS) chair Phil Belman previously said of the plans: “We stand alongside residents wanting to see Gurnell Leisure Centre brought back into use. The pool is sorely missed and it is important for health and wellbeing to re-open what was once a well-used facility. However, we must be realistic on this latest proposal. Building houses and flats on the Brent floodplain in the Brent River Park is unwise.”.
Steven Toft, BRCS trustee added at the time: “The housing development is proposed on metropolitan open land and public open space both of which are protected by national, London wide and local policies. This proposal also runs counter to Ealing Council’s own policies. The council rightly refused ‘in principle’ a development on public open space in Acton in 2022. Surely the same principle applies at Gurnell.”
During the consultation period, 413 comments were made of which 307 were objections. One resident commented: “300, more new homes built on metropolitan open land, the precedent set by this if approved will destroy Ealing. It is grossly unfair that the swimming pool and leisure center is being held to ransom by these fanciful plans. Previous schemes for this area were dismissed. this should be dismissed as well, it is an overdevelopment.”
Another resident said of the plans: “I’d rather there was no building on MOL but I think the need for a new leisure centre and additional housing override that concern. Therefore, I support this proposal.”
The planning committee’s approval of the plans will now go to the Greater London Authority to assess the proposal before planning consent can be granted. If the proposal is successful, the council said the old building will be demolished in spring this year and a new leisure centre will open in 2027/28.
Councillor Blerina Hashani, cabinet member for thriving communities said: “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.”
