Croydon mayor’s revised proposal for a new leisure centre including a swimming pool in Purley may finally meet approval.
Executive Mayor Jason Perry has been committed to re-opening the pool in Purley as part of ongoing regeneration efforts, following the closure of the leisure centre to the public in March 2020.
The new initiative is part of the mayor’s plan to regenerate the High Street, which he hopes will benefit residents and local businesses long term.
Mayor Perry said: “Our focus is on delivering a facility that benefits everyone in the area and provides a great regeneration opportunity for Purley and the surrounding area.”
The pool was a key area for local people to enjoy an active lifestyle yet, prior to closing, the leisure centre ran at a loss of £150,000 a year and an estimated refurbishment cost was calculated at over £3 million.
The council has been in discussion with long-term leaseholder and developer Polaska about their plans for the site.
Polaska’s original proposal to build 220 later living flats on the site of Purley pool was rejected by the Greater London Authority (GLA) in Spring 2024 due to the lack of affordable housing.
Polaska’s proposed flats also threatened to remove around 400 car parking spaces in Purley town centre, which attracted widespread criticism from residents.
Most objected to the long-term damage of removing the parking spaces and highlighted the fire risk of creating a car park underneath the retired flats.
The Mayor now proposed a new plan of action for the redevelopment of the site.
The plan includes a new leisure centre, a later living housing scheme, shops and a new public square with the potential to host events such as markets and local festivals.
The Mayor promised the Polaska proposal had been revised in response to previously received comments during the planning application.
The leisure centre has been re-designed to accommodate a gym, fitness studio and a cafe overlooking a new soft play space for children.
Additionally, the council assured the revised proposal would increase the number of parking spaces available to the public.
Along with the later living flats scheme, it proposed a total of 10% of affordable homes, in efforts to support the housing needs of the borough.
The London Plan aims for at least half of all new homes to be classed as affordable, with 30% designated for low-cost rent options, and Croydon’s Local Plan aims for 40% of all new housing developments to be affordable.
However, Inside Croydon noted Polaska’s revised proposal still offers only 18 affordable units out of 220.
Following previous resident criticism, the new proposal aims to include a new public car park, with some parking reserved for users of the later living facility, and Mayor Perry moved to assure residents the council aims to strike a balance between community needs and economic regeneration.
He said: “It’s vital that the proposals are right for Purley and that the development preserves the character of the area. This process takes time.
“I appreciate the community’s contributions throughout the consultation process and we will keep everyone informed every step of the way.”
Photo credit: Polaska
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