Wandsworth Council has confirmed that the 33-metre pool at Putney Leisure Centre will not be divided, following a petition signed by more than 1,600 people. The proposed division of the pool has been scrapped from the planned £1.2 million refurbishment of the centre, which will still include an expanded gym, a Reformer Pilates studio, and a new café.
Plans to divide the pool sparked backlash
In June, contractor Places Leisure, which runs the leisure centre, emailed users to announce that the 33-metre pool would close on July 1 and reopen in early September after being divided into a 25-metre pool and a separate teaching pool. The announcement drew fierce opposition from residents and users, including long-distance swimmers who relied on the pool for training.
Resident Dan Hawtrey, a long-time user of the venue, set up a petition calling for the plans to be scrapped and for a proper consultation with residents and users before any changes were made. The petition, signed by 1,662 people, stated: "Modernise the centre - please do. But don't take away the one thing that makes it worth coming to for many people. A permanent change to a pool the public owns and pays for, decided behind closed doors and announced barely a month before it shuts - without consulting a single resident or member. This is our pool. We deserve a say in its future."
Council responds to community pressure
Conservative councillor Ethan Brooks, cabinet member for the environment, said the plans had been paused and more engagement with residents would be carried out. The council has now confirmed the pool will be kept, acknowledging residents' clear need for it. Other upgrades will proceed, including expanding and refurbishing the gym with more equipment, replacing the spa with a health suite, and installing a Reformer Pilates studio and a larger group cycling suite.
The changing facilities are currently being renovated, and the existing teaching pool will be redesigned to better support young swimmers. A new soft play area, café, and reception will also be added.
Residents seek transparency from operator
Dan Hawtrey welcomed the announcement, telling the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "It was very clear that people were massively opposed to it and I was really grateful for the support that we got from Councillor Ethan Brooks... he straightaway saw that this was a crazy idea and helped us put it to bed." However, he noted that Places Leisure had not yet directly confirmed the plans had been shelved, which residents needed to rebuild trust after a lack of transparency during the process.
He added: "We're still very keen to see a definitive statement from Places Leisure. They've not acted in a transparent way in any of this. It's been very, very cloak and dagger and just really not how a company should be running a council facility."
In response, a spokesperson for Places Leisure said the council had instructed the company to keep the 33-metre pool and that updated plans were being worked on. The spokesperson said: "Places Leisure is investing £5.7m into leisure facilities across Wandsworth including £1.2m to improve Putney Leisure Centre for the whole community. Putney Leisure Centre is a well-loved facility and is undergoing a significant amount of investment work including the installation of a brand-new Reformer Pilates studio and health suite, expansion and refurbishment of the gym, brand-new soft play area and much more."
"Following recent engagement and feedback from residents, Wandsworth Borough Council have instructed Places Leisure to retain the 33-metre swimming pool at Putney Leisure Centre. As a result, we are now working through new and updated plans for the centre. These plans will be shared with users of the facility and members of the community as part of our ongoing engagement. We are committed to improving our engagement with the local community and thank people for their feedback."
Councillor Brooks added: "Creating a centre that serves the Putney community is our priority for this upgrade. These improvements will bring a new lease of life to the centre, with modern facilities and new activities, whilst retaining the features and character that our community values. We thank residents for their feedback and involvement in helping these plans to be confirmed and hope that the centre remains a place that is much-loved by locals and enjoyed by all ages."
The refurbishment works will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption to users, and are expected to be completed by the end of summer next year.
