Published: 19 October 2007
Hillingdon is in the Swim
The London Borough of Hillingdon (LBH) will have the first 50m Olympic-sized pool to be built in West London for over 40 years.
Hillingdon Council is investing £22m into the sports & leisure complex and has finalised additional funding to enable a 50m pool to be built as part of the complex, which includes an athletics stadium, sports hall and fitness centre.
The funding of £2.025m from the London Development Agency will be supplemented by £1.5m National Lottery funding from Sport England.
The development is being built next to the 1930’s Uxbridge open-air pool, a grade II listed building, which is also being refurbished.
The new pool will include a movable floor, allowing for the space to be used as two 25metre pools for different uses as well as altering the depths according to use.
Cllr Henry Higgins, Cabinet member for culture, sport & leisure at Hillingdon Council, who led the council’s campaign for the 50m pool and said:
“We are delighted that our aspirations for a 50m pool will become a reality, something that we have been campaigning for quite a while. It will be a great community asset.
We are investing £22m into bringing the old Lido back to life as well as providing a new purpose-built 21st century facility for our residents, which will be a legacy for our future generations hopefully some Hillingdon Olympic champions.
With this additional funding we can enhance our plans and become one of the few places in London to have an Olympic size pool.
Our thanks go to everyone who showed their support for this important development.”
Chief Executive of the LDA, Manny Lewis said:
"The new 50m pool will put Hillingdon on the map in terms of first class sporting facilities, providing an excellent recreation venue for local residents as well as bringing wider regeneration benefits to the community.
The LDA is proud to support the development with both residents and Olympic hopefuls alike benefiting from the scheme."
Sean Holt London Regional Director, Sport England said:
"The Hillingdon multi sport complex will offer a range of different sports under one roof including, a fitness centre, sports hall and swimming pool. This means that mums can go swimming while at the same time their children can play football.
By making sport convenient and giving people choice they are more likely to enjoy it and get the sporting habit.”
David Sparkes, CEO of the ASA said:
"The Hillingdon pool is critical in building the infrastructure for swimming in London to ensure a lasting legacy from 2012.
With the right programme in place Hillingdon has the potential to help increase the number of world class swimmers in the capital and ensure talent within the sport is identified, nurtured and developed, which is crucial to our swimming strategy in London"
The new sports and leisure complex is due to be completed in 2009.
While this complex does not include a much needed competition standard diving pool, the LBH is hoping to be able to provide some diving facilities elsewhere in the Borough, but no definite plans exist as yet.
At last some sports facilities that are not based in East London and which take hours to get reach. A location that is on the Tube and just off the M25 (close to M1, M40, M4 and M3) means that it supports a wide catchment area to the west of London.
Further information
London Borough of Hillingdon
Amateur Swimming Association (ASA)
London Development Agency
Sport England
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