A Central London leisure centre has been closed in preparation for a major multi-million-pound revamp due to begin later this year. Westminster City Council is planning to turn Seymour Leisure Centre into a ‘multi-purpose, mixed-use community facility’, with a new café and permanent home for the Marylebone Library among the designs.
Approval for the works was granted by the council’s Planning Committee last July, with public consultations having been held since 2021. Currently, the 1930s three-storey building is home to facilities including a five-court sports hall and a swimming pool. A council document however describes there being ‘a number of underused and redundant spaces’, with ‘urgent’ improvements required.
As well as the café and relocated library, the proposed works include a children’s soft play area, an upgrade to the sports hall, and bookable community spaces.
The redevelopment will also contribute towards some of the council’s environmental policies, such as becoming a net zero city by 2040, with improvements to be made to its heating, temperature and ventilation.
To prepare for the works, the council said the leisure centre was shut towards the end of February. The local authority has also published a notice detailing its decision to award the ‘stage two’ contract for refurbishment works to construction company Willmott Dixon for a fee of £36,563,000. There will now be a period in which councillors can ‘call-in’ the decision, before it is officially implemented on March 20.
The document, approved by Cabinet Member for Finance and Council Reform Cllr David Boothroyd, notes the overall project budget to have risen to £42.5m, up from £40.252m.
At the time the planning approval was granted, Cllr Boothroyd said: “Transforming Seymour Leisure Centre will provide first-class facilities for the Westminster community. The improved site will include an open plan gym, refurbished swimming pool and contemporary library with accessibility throughout.
“There are a number of local sports clubs and businesses who currently use the centre. We are now working closely with them to find solutions either at the new site or at other facilities in Westminster so they can continue to offer their services to residents.
“The new spaces at Seymour will be able to be used by multiple clubs and community groups”.
The works on the leisure centre are due to begin this summer, with a target completion date of early 2026.
