Two Brent leisure centres are set to receive more than £4 million between them to carry out major repair and improvement works, including installing better equipment, layout changes, and providing a women-only gym.
Brent Council will seek approval from the Cabinet at a meeting next week (June 22). The total £4.25 million investment package, of which nearly £3.25 million comes from the local authority budget, aims to support a "more inclusive, accessible, and attractive leisure offer" for residents.
Vale Farm Sports Centre
Vale Farm Sports Centre in Wembley will receive £2 million for a "major repairs and renewals programme", with an additional £850,000 for improvements to facilities. The council has entered into a new agreement at the centre, giving it stronger control over pricing, programming, and investment to support its ambition to make it the borough's first Active Wellbeing hub.
In October last year, a building condition survey identified major repair and renewal works needed to keep the facility "safe, compliant, and operational". The council says the £2 million programme is necessary to reduce the risk of asset failure, service disruption, and deterioration in service quality.
Cabinet members will also be asked to approve £850,000 for "contract-linked capital enhancement works", including upgrades to the main gym, women-only gym, and studios. These improvements aim to enhance the asset's value by 2031 and support a more inclusive offer for women, girls, less confident users, and other residents facing barriers to participation.
Willesden Sports Centre
Willesden Sports Centre operates under a PFI contract that expires on October 31, 2031. The £1.4 million investment, with £393,752 from the council, is designed to "strengthen the asset" ahead of the contract expiry.
The current gym and fitness facilities have "capacity and layout constraints", and the proposed scheme will reconfigure and enhance these spaces to increase capacity and improve customer experience. The plans also aim to address "known barriers" for women, less confident users, older residents, disabled users, and other target groups, supporting increased membership and participation.
Council's Vision
Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Public Health, Cllr Liz Dixon, said: "Providing high-quality, affordable and inclusive opportunities to be active is central to Brent's ambition to become a healthier borough. Leisure centres are important public assets. They support physical and mental wellbeing, bring communities together, and enable residents of all ages to move more in everyday life."
She added: "This is an investment in buildings, but more importantly it is an investment in residents' health and wellbeing. The proposals will protect and enhance Vale Farm Sports Centre and Willesden Sports Centre, provide better equipment and spaces, improve the quality of the resident offer, and help more people feel confident using local leisure facilities."
