Hounslow Council plan to replace the ageing Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre amid higher than average obesity rates.

The decision was approved at a cabinet meeting on Monday, 14 October.

The building in its current state is deemed unfit for purpose, and considered 'at the end of its life after 40 years.' The new leisure centre is to be built on the same site, and the Fountain Leisure Centre will remain open for the time being.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands that central to this decision is public health.

Hounslow has the fourth highest obesity rates in London, with 61.7% of the borough's population classified as overweight.

In addition, around 25,000 residents have diabetes, 23,000 of which are type 2, and another 31,000 at risk of type 2 diabetes.

The Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Spaces, Councillor Salman Shaheen told the LDRS: "We've got huge health challenges in the borough and we know how vitally important leisure centres are, particularly affordable leisure centres."

The leisure centre is run by Lampton Leisure, a company wholly owned by Hounslow Council after they were bought in-house after the pandemic.

The council has already allocated £983,000 to architects to conduct a feasibility assessment.

Cllr Shaheen told the LDRS: "That's an absolute guarantee that we are going to fund a new leisure centre on that site."

On potential future budgetary constraints he said: "I don't believe that is going to be an issue. We are going to knock down this leisure centre and build a new one in this place that serves the public better."

The council will soon open a consultation for residents to submit their input on what they would like from a new leisure centre. Residents are encouraged to keep an eye out for the survey on Let's Talk Hounslow from the start of November, and it will run until late December.

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