Council Commits to Pool in New Brentford Leisure Centre
Cabinet asked to approve £4.3million funding for project
The new centre now looks likely to be built on the existing site
January 17, 2026
Plans to replace the ageing Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre have taken a significant step forward, with Hounslow Council set to commit over £4 million to the next phase of development. The proposals, due to be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday 20 January, include funding for feasibility studies, detailed design work, and essential maintenance to keep the current centre operational until scheduled closure in 2028.
The new facility, anticipated currently to open in 2031, will feature a modern wet and dry leisure centre with a swimming pool, upgraded gym, and family-friendly community spaces. The implication is that there will be no operational leisure centre at the site for around three years. The council has confirmed that the swimming pool will be retained, following strong public support during consultation with over 900 residents.
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, said, “We want to develop a masterplan and complete design work of the site by the beginning of next year. We’re going to then go out into market engagement for the residential element… there has to be flats built on this site which are going to fund the development of this leisure centre. So that’s a factor which makes it an even more complicated development, but we need to carry out that work over the course of this year.”
The proposed design includes flexible swimming pools with moveable floors to support a wider range of water activities, alongside improved sports halls, fitness studios, interactive spinning, assisted fitness, soft play areas, sauna and steam rooms, and bookable community rooms. Additional features will include larger changing facilities, a new café, buggy parking, and family-friendly spaces.
Three options were considered during the planning process. A dry-only centre without a pool was ruled out due to its limited health benefits and reduced community value. A larger, more expansive centre was also assessed but deemed financially unviable due to constraints on land available for sale. The preferred option aims to balance affordability, accessibility, and long-term sustainability.
Cllr Shaheen noted that maintaining a swimming pool was a top priority for residents and that removing it would “limit potential income from family-oriented activities.”
The current Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre, built in 1987 and operated by Lampton Leisure, is nearing the end of its operational life. Surveys have shown that refurbishment would be uneconomical, prompting the council to pursue a more energy-efficient and inclusive replacement that can operate within its own income and contribute to long-term savings.
Cllr Tom Bruce, Lead Member for Assets, Regeneration and Development, said: “The current building has served Brentford well, but it is ageing and becoming harder and more expensive to maintain. These proposals give us the chance to plan ahead and look seriously at how we can provide a modern, high-quality leisure centre that works better for residents and represents good value for the council in the long term.
“No final decisions on construction are being taken at this stage. The leisure centre would remain open while proposals are developed and there will be further engagement planned with residents as the work progresses.”
If approved, the council will submit a hybrid planning application with detailed plans for the leisure centre and outline proposals for the residential development. The council will lead delivery of the leisure centre directly and seek a development partner for the housing element. A proposed closure date for the existing centre will be announced once planning permission is secured and procurement exercises are complete.
Written with contributions from Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |