Will Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre £1.3m low carbon technology go to waste?

Image: Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre

LB Hounslow plans to redevelop the site just two years after the centre was refitted to meet low carbon target

Hounslow Council has approved plans to redevelop Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre, but what will happen to the energy-efficient heat pumps, solar panels, and other eco-friendly technologies which were installed just two and a half years ago at a cost of £1.3 million?

In 2022, the leisure centre received a significant upgrade, refitted with low carbon-energy efficiency sources funded by the government’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme, as part of the Council’s bid to become a carbon-neutral local authority by 2030.

At the launch event for the upgraded site in July 2022, Hounslow Cabinet Member Cllr Samia Chaudhaury said there were “no plans” for leisure centres to close in Hounslow, adding that the energy efficiency measures were helping council-owned leisure centres mitigate high energy costs.

READ ALSO: Brentford Leisure Centre gets low carbon makeover

READ ALSO: Hounslow Council Cabinet approve plans to redevelop Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre

Images: Cllr Samia Chaudhary poses beside near five new Mitsubishi CAHB heat pump, Cllr Chaudhary and Asset Plus Exec Martin Rowden pose with a water recycling machine which maximises the energy efficiency of the leisure centre’s domestic water supply; July 2022

Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre no longer fit for purpose

Just two years after these upgrades were completed however, the Council revealed their plans to redevelop the leisure centre, saying the site was no longer fit for purpose. In a Cabinet report last October, officers said:

‘Built in 1987, and at 37 years old, Fountain LC. It requires significant investment or replacement to satisfy the modern fitness requirements and lifestyle expectations of the local community, to provide good quality facilities, and secure long-term viability.

‘The Centre requires circa £3.3m investment over the next seven years. Investment requirements include upgrades for the pool chlorination plant, ventilation system, air handling units, halls ceilings and pool fabric, as well as elements which would improve the customer experience such as refurbishment of squash courts, sanitary wear, and shower cubicles.’

Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre currently attracts 14,000 visitors a month and serves 1,700 fitness members and 1,200 swim school participants.

Fountain Leisure Centre was considered for full redevelopment in September 2016, with a recommendation made to Cabinet to take forward a new-build project in conjunction with a partner, as part of a wider master planning process, to deliver a like for like leisure facility. Two independent studies to regenerate the site through the reprovision of the leisure centre have previously been developed.

Why then did the Council go ahead with the low carbon-energy refit, knowing that the site needed to be redeveloped?

Image: Solar panels installed on the roof of Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre in 2022

Hounslow Council does not rule out that the new technology will be scrapped, but says it will try to repurpose it

We asked Hounslow Council whether all the new technology fitted in July 2022 would now go to waste. This is the statement we received from Cllr Salman Shaheen, Hounslow Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces:

“Hounslow Council plans to deliver a modern leisure facility that meets the needs of Brentford’s vibrant and diverse community. While the Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre remains open, we continue to benefit from the energy savings provided by the low-carbon upgrades installed in 2022…

“These upgrades are a crucial investment in sustainability, and we will look to retain or repurpose existing assets including the heat pumps and solar panels, ensuring that resources are used responsibly and waste is minimised.

“The decision to consider a new leisure centre was based on extensive evaluation … This is a fantastic opportunity to develop a modern, affordable, and environmentally sustainable facility that serves our residents for years to come.”

The Council has allocated £983,000 to appoint an architect and conduct a feasibility study which will explore options for redeveloping the centre, with a preference for retaining it at its current location.

LB Hounslow has also approved £285,000 in immediate funds to address critical issues that could otherwise force the centre’s closure. These emergency works will focus on the roof and fire safety improvements​.

“Yet another example of the Council simply not having a plan for what to do with the current site”

Cllr Gabriella Giles

The Conservative opposition in the borough says this is just another example of the Labour Council’s lack of foresight when it comes to planning.

Cllr Gabriella Giles, a Conservative councillor representing Chiswick Riverside ward, told The Chiswick Calendar the lack of foresight could leave taxpayers to foot the bill.

“There was no indication when we asked of the what the cost of moving this technology would be, but we do know that the original grant to buy and install at the Leisure Centre site was over £1 million.

“This is yet another example of the council simply not having a plan for what to do with the current site – they apply for grant funding without a view on the bigger picture, and ultimately it is Council Tax payers who will have to pay for Hounslow Council’s sort of short-term thinking.”

Cllr Guy Lambert

Former Labour councillor and Cabinet Member Cllr Guy Lambert, who represents Brentford on Hounslow Council, has also criticised the lack of progress on the leisure centre.

READ ALSO: Brentford West Councillor Guy Lambert resigns from Hounslow Labour Group

He was suspended from the Hounslow Labour Group in November 2024 for criticising the slow progress of development in Brentford town centre and has now resigned from the Hounslow Labour Group, though he is still a member of the Labour party.

Read more stories on The Chiswick Calendar