More than 18 months after initial planning approval, work on the Purley Pool regeneration remains stalled by legal processes, which Croydon Council says are outside its control. The Mayor of London-backed later-living and leisure centre scheme aims to regenerate Purley town centre with new later-living homes and leisure facilities.
While Croydon Council says developer Polaska’s corporate restructuring will pave the way for construction to begin, opposition councillor Stuart King said residents “deserve better than this” in response to the delays. The council revealed this week that formal planning permission has been delayed while the required Section 106 agreement with Polaska is completed and signed. Section 106 agreements are made between developers and local authorities to offset the impact of new building projects on the local area.
Legal and restructuring delays
The process was delayed after the council requested Polaska to establish a UK-registered company to take on the contractual obligations, rather than using its British Virgin Islands-based entity. In response, Polaska UK was established and the site’s leasehold interest was transferred to the new company.
As part of the restructuring, Polaska’s original British Virgin Islands-based company was placed into administration. Council officials said the administration would not affect delivery of the scheme, as the council’s legal relationship is with the UK-based entity. However, they said legal and land registration matters must still be completed before construction can begin.
Recognising the challenges around Polaska’s restructuring, Mayor Jason Perry said: “While these matters are not directly within the council’s control, we are working closely with Polaska on the programme for delivering the project.”
Opposition criticism and unanswered questions
Councillor Stuart King, leader of Croydon’s Labour opposition, has told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) of his frustration with the continued delays to the regeneration of the pool, which closed to the public in 2020. “It is more than 18 months since planning permission was granted for a new pool in Purley,” Councillor King told the LDRS, acknowledging that the key Section 106 agreement between the council and Polaska remains incomplete despite the planning approval granted in February 2025.
He also noted that an operator for the 220 later-living homes on the site has not yet been named and questioned whether the new pool would remain cost-free to the council. He also asked why a construction start date has not yet been provided.
Reopening the Purley Pool was a key promise made by Mayor Jason Perry during his 2022 election campaign. However, plans to reopen the pool under council ownership were later scrapped due to costs, leading to the current later-living scheme proposed by Polaska. He added: “Right from the outset Mayor Perry has mismanaged this whole process. No wonder residents are increasingly sceptical about whether they will ever see a pool built in Purley.”
Scheme details and community impact
The redevelopment scheme, which has been reviewed and supported by the Greater London Authority, includes a 25-metre, six-lane main pool, a separate training pool, an 80-station gym, studio spaces, a café and soft play facilities. The wider scheme also includes later-living homes, 10 per cent of which will be affordable, a care home and a new public square as part of the regeneration of Purley town centre.
The return of a public swimming facility forms part of the council’s wider plans to improve leisure services across Croydon under the Mayor’s Business Plan 2026-30. The site will also provide 78 parking spaces, although 400 long and short-stay spaces will be lost when the Purley Way multi-storey car park closes.
Responding to public anxiety over timeline delays, Mayor Perry said: “I know many residents are keen to see a swimming pool return to Purley and to see progress on this important town centre site. We remain fully committed to delivering a new swimming pool and leisure centre for Purley, making it easier for residents to stay active and supporting the regeneration of the town centre for everyone who lives, works and spends time there.”
