Outline Planning Statement
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GURNELL LEISURE CENTRE FULL PLANNING APPLICATION ALTERNATIVE SITE ASSESSMENT APRIL 2020 Gurnell Leisure Centre London Borough of Ealing Alternative Site Assessment Prepared by Barton Willmore LLP on behalf of Ecoworld Ltd. October 2019 Gurnell Leisure Centre London Borough of Ealing Alternative Site Assessment Prepared by Barton Willmore LLP on behalf of Eco World Ltd. Project Ref: 24313/A5 Status: Pre-App Issue Issue/Rev: 04 Date: 27th November 2019 Prepared by: Andrew Lightstone Checked by: Bob McCurry Barton Willmore LLP 7 Soho Square London W1D 3QB Tel: 0207 446 6849 Our ref: 24313/A5/AL Fax: 0207 446 6889 Email: [email protected] Date: 27th November 2019 COPYRIGHT The contents of this document must not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of the Barton Willmore LLP. All Barton Willmore stationery is produced using recycled or FSC paper and vegetable oil based inks. CONTENTS PART A - PROJECT CONTEXT .............................................................................. 6 1.0 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1 PART B – METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 8 2.0 PROPOSED ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY ................................................... 8 3.0 STAGE 1: LONG LIST CREATION AND SIEVING ............................................ 9 4.0 STAGE 2: MINI ASSESSMENTS ................................................................. 14 5.0 STAGE 3: CAPACITY STUDY ..................................................................... 30 6.0 STAGE 4: DETAILED SITE ASSESSMENT .................................................... 34 PART C – RESULTS SUMMARY .......................................................................... 42 6.0 LONG LIST SIEVING ............................................................................... 38 7.0 STAGE 2: MINI-ASSESSMENTS ................................................................. 49 8.0 STAGE 3: CAPACITY STUDY ..................................................................... 55 9.0 STAGE 4: DETAILED SITE ASSESSMENT .................................................... 56 PART D – CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 62 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................. 62 APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 : STAGE 1: LONG LIST CREATION AND SIEVING APPENDIX 2 : STAGE 2: MINI ASSESSMENTS FOR URBAN SITES APPENDIX 3 : STAGE 2: MINI ASSESSMENTS FOR PUBLIC / COMMUNITY OPEN SPACES APPENDIX 4 : STAGE 2: MINI ASSESSMENTS FOR GREEN BELT SITES AND METRPOLITAN OPEN LAND APPENDIX 5 : STAGE 3: CAPACITY STUDIES APPENDIX 6 : STAGE 4: DETAILED SITE ASSESSMENTS PART A - PROJECT CONTEXT Gurnell Leisure Centre Introduction 1.0 INTRODUCTION Background 1.1 Gurnell Leisure Centre (GLC) opened in 1981 and is one of London’s busiest leisure centres. The current usage of GLC is as high as it has ever been: in 2009 the total number of visits to the centre was 531,201, and by 2016 this rose to 692,906, an increase of 30% in 7 years. In the same period, the number of children enrolled on the Swim School scheme rose from 2,301 in 2009 to 3,741 in 2016, an increase of 62% in 7 years - meaning that it is the largest ‘learn to swim’ school in London. The centre is also home to Ealing Swimming Club, the largest swimming club in the country. 1.2 However, the leisure centre is near the end of its operational life. It either requires a significant level of repair to bring it up to modern standards or else its complete redevelopment is required. The latter is the preferred option as any retrofitting would have a considered cost of only marginally less than that of a wholesale replacement – though with few of the benefits of a new leisure centre custom designed for modern usage. 1.3 In this respect, the Ealing Sports Facility Strategy 2012-21 identifies the redevelopment of GLC as being of key importance to the provision of water space in Ealing, addressing both existing latent demand and potential future demand for access to pool space for participation in Ealing. Opportunity and Importance 1.4 GLC is not just a local asset but has the opportunity to be a regionally significant facility, given that it offers a 50m pool. London currently only has four indoor 50m swimming pools, including GLC. This is compared to Paris which has over twenty, so it is clear that London is lagging behind in this aspect. 24313/A5/AL Page 1 July 2019 Gurnell Leisure Centre Introduction Vision 1.5 The vision is to deliver a new flagship leisure centre to create a first-class leisure destination for existing residents and future generations. The new destination facility needs to have the ability to accommodate a ten lane 50m pool (four additional lanes), a themed leisure pool focused on engaging families with under 8’s, a large gym, a themed soft play area and café. In addition, the indoor studio space and outdoor facilities should be provided. 1.6 A new leisure centre and its wide range of programmes for people of all abilities will contribute greatly to the aims and objectives identified in the Council’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2016-21 and seek to contribute to sustaining good health and wellbeing for the wider community. 1.7 The new facility should therefore have a positive impact on a number of active residents, especially amongst sedentary target groups, and will also focus on engaging families by offering inclusive, family orientated and innovative activity programmes designed to encourage people of all ages and abilities to start and stay active. 1.8 When this new facility becomes operational the number of visitors are expected to increase significantly, anticipated to reach 1 million per year. Proposal 1.9 Whilst GLC is well used, it is in need of a significant level of repair and investment. In fact, it is near the end of its operational life - the industry standard lifespan for similar facilities is 30 years and GLC has already been open 35 years. 1.10 As noted above, refurbishment and retrofitting of the existing facility was considered as a first option, however it was ruled out as it would likely cost around 80% as much as providing an entirely new facility, and would be without the benefits that a new facility could bring. The level of refurbishment required to the structure, roof and plant areas would also result in a prolonged closure of the centre, with individual facilities and spaces likely to be unusable for much longer. 24313/A5/AL Page 2 July 2019 Gurnell Leisure Centre Introduction 1.11 Consequently, in March 2015, the London Borough of Ealing (LB Ealing) Cabinet made the decision to close down the existing centre and construct a modern, energy efficient building that could deliver the leisure facilities required to meet the needs of the local and regional community. 1.12 LB Ealing are working in partnership with Eco World Limited for the duration of this project. Accordingly and as LB Ealing’s Capital Investment Programme are part funding the scheme, the brief for the new leisure centre has been compiled by them. This brief includes the requirement for a ten lane 50m pool (four additional lanes) with moveable floor and booms which would allow the pool to be subdivided for different user groups; a themed leisure pool focused on engaging families with under 8’s; an enalrged gym; double the amount of studio spaces allowing for more group based exercise classes to be offered; a themed soft play area; and café which can generate further revenue. 1.13 These additional indoor leisure facilities are intended to be combined with outdoor enhancements to the adjacent park in order to provide clubs and sporting organisations with the opportunity to use quality training and competition facilities as well as ancillary facilities that meet the needs and requirements of their sport. The borough-wide requirement for such facilities is illustrated in LB Ealing’s Sports Facility Strategy (2012-2021) and their Playing Pitch Strategy (2017-2031). Both of these documents were compiled with input from Sport England to ensure accuracy and robustness. 1.14 The creation of a single new leisure facility alongside the ehanced park would achieve key Council targets, enabling the delivery of benefits for its residents across three key strategic areas: a. Promoting Health, Wellbeing and Independence, enabling healthy lifestyles is part of making Ealing a Healthier Borough; the first strategic theme to be met by this project. A key aim of the Council’s Corporate Plan is supporting the delivery of the borough’s health and wellbeing offer by maximising the use of park, leisure and sports facilities to encourage healthy lifestyles including the redevelopment of GLC. b. Housing quality and supply, whereby the enabling residential uses of the project will result in the provision of 612 new homes. 24313/A5/AL Page 3 July 2019 Gurnell Leisure Centre Introduction c. The third strategic theme on which the project has a real positive impact is Place and public realm, driving improvements to the wider environment. The new and much enhanced indoor and outdoor sporting and recreational facilities will have a significant impact on people’s lifestyle choices and future wellbeing. Funding 1.15 LB Ealing have carefully considered how much of the new leisure centre they can fund directly, having undertaken a full assessment of the funding options available. 1.16