June 2021

56
Wanstead Village Directory
Going swimmingly
After some initial setbacks, Redbridge Council’s expansion and
improvement plans for Wanstead Leisure Centre are now progressing
nicely, says Councillor Sheila Bain (Wanstead Park, Labour)
Redbridge Council’s exciting and
ambitious expansion plans for
Wanstead Leisure Centre – which
include providing a new swimming pool
and major improvements to Wanstead
High School – are progressing nicely.
Construction is due to begin this summer,
with anticipated completion in late 2022.
There had been some initial setbacks with
the project, including around providing
temporary classrooms for the school ahead
of the demolition of old school buildings.
The procurement and appointment of the
main contractor and, clearly, the impact of
the pandemic, have also presented us with
challenges. But with the contract awarded and
the school now occupying new temporary
classrooms, it’s all systems go with the
building works so as to open the pool toward
the end of next year.
The major improvements to Wanstead
High School will include a new three-storey
teaching block. This will provide up-to-date
school accommodation, and this investment
will go a long way to ensure Redbridge can
continue to deliver first-class education to our
young people.
Adjoining the new teaching block will be the
new 25m swimming pool, changing facilities,
dance studio and an impressive new entrance
on Redbridge Lane West.
The pool will be operated by the council’s
leisure provider, Vision. It will be open to the
public every day and will offer a variety of
activities, including aqua aerobics, swimming
lessons and open swimming; in other words,
something for all ages to enjoy. Even the
changing room facilities will be state of the
art, with different size cubicles, larger family
Visualisation of the venue’s new
entrance on Redbridge Lane West
and group changing areas, easy stairs into the
pool and a ‘pool pod’ accessible lift, as used in
the London Paralympics, ensuring everyone is
able to use the new pool.
The scheme has been designed to ensure
the highest levels of sustainability and green
credentials. It will meet a BREEAM (Building
Research Establishment Environmental
Assessment Method) rating of ‘excellent’,
putting it in the top 10 of new, UK nondomestic
buildings, as well as meeting best
practice standards within the UK.
This will be the third pool to be provided in
Redbridge since 2014, when we had been
left with just one public swimming pool,
demonstrating this council’s commitment to
invest for our residents across the borough,
while we tackle the continued impact of
government austerity. Our leisure facilities
provide all age groups with access to exercise
opportunities and bring communities
together. The new pool will give more people
an opportunity to learn and use this important
life skill and will be a brilliant new addition to
the leisure facilities in Wanstead.
Councillor Sheila Bain is Cabinet Member
for Planning and Planning Enforcement.
Email sheila.bain@redbridge.gov.uk
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com