Town Hall presses ahead with King’s Hall revamp

Designs for the centre’s new mixed pool. Photograph: Hackney Council

Hackney Council has approved plans to revamp Clapton’s King’s Hall leisure centre in its bid to return the Grade II-listed bath house “to its full glory”.

Designs by architects FaulknerBrowns, who also worked on Hoxton’s Britannia Leisure Centre, were rubber-stamped on 2 April by the Town Hall’s planning sub-committee.

Proposed changes to the “handsome” Victorian-era civic building include a refurbished pool, a sauna and steam room, extensions to its fitness suite and a new accessible entrance from Clapton Square.

Mayor Caroline Woodley said: “Over generations, thousands of people have learnt to swim or use the gym at Kings Hall, and it has been difficult to see such a beautiful building deteriorate as it has aged.

“Despite challenging financial times, it is right that we’re investing to bring the leisure centre back to its full glory [and] protecting an historic building for future generations.

“More importantly, [we are] providing modern leisure facilities that our communities deserve in a part of Hackney that is currently underserved.”

The Town Hall stated its aim is to modernise the building while safeguarding its historic character.

Completed in 1897, King’s Hall has been in a state of disrepair for several years, as structural wear and tear and outdated systems have led to its “eroded character”, alongside higher maintenance costs.

Hackney Council is also seeking to upgrade the centre’s accessibility, as the building in its current form does not meet the most up-to-date disability access regulations.

Works are expected to commence in late 2025 with the aim of completion by late 2028, although the start date will depend on how soon the council can appoint a contractor for the project.

While the centre will have to close its doors to the public for the duration, members will be able to transfer their King’s Hall membership to another Better Leisure centre in the borough.

Hackney Council is also exploring whether it can offer temporary health and fitness facilities in the borough’s east while the building is closed.

Prior to approval, residents had lodged a total of 26 objections to the plans, mostly around the impact on parking, traffic and noise pollution, but also over proposals to fell eight mature trees in the rear car park.

The Town Hall considered these effects to be at an “acceptable” level, and waved through the plans after making some revisions – including agreeing to plant more trees in the parking area.

Cllr Anna Lynch (Labour) told the Citizen she and her Homerton ward colleagues were “delighted” by the outcome.

“[We] have campaigned relentlessly over a number of years to secure the refurbishment of King’s Hall Leisure Centre and bring this beautiful grade-II heritage building back to life,” she said.

“We have delivered our manifesto commitment to Homerton residents to ensure many more generations can keep active and healthy in the modern facilities the refurbishment will bring.”