Forest Hill Pools

By the time you read this, demolition work will probably be well underway on the old Forest Hill swimming pools.  After years of campaigning, we will see the first real steps towards the delivery of a fantastic new pools facility on the existing site.  The new design will make full use of the old red brick façade of the old buildings.  Demolition is expected to take about three months, and then there will be a break before construction of the new building begins.  In part this is because it isn’t possible to work out the full details of how the new building will join on to the old until the pools halls are demolished.  The project team will be seeking planning permission for the new building during May.

The new pools are based on a concept by architects Allies and Morrison who designed the Horniman Museum extension.  Once Lewisham Council finally decided to rebuild on the existing site rather than Willow Way in Sydenham, the job of taking the initial concept forward went out to tender, and was awarded to architects Roberts Limbrick who have completed many public buildings including several swimming pool projects.  They have worked hard to turn the concept drawings into a workable solution and have maintained close contacts with the stakeholder group on which the Association is represented.  This group has contributed numerous suggestions based on early views of the design and we are pleased that the architects have been able to incorporate many of these.  One fairly significant change from the original concept is that all access to the building will be from Dartmouth Road: access for service was originally to have been from the residential road at the rear of the site.

The design was shown to the local community in a travelling exhibition during March and local people were able to give their own views on the design.  From what I saw, most of the comments being received were very positive.  Both the Council and the architects seem very confident that, with building work starting late this year or early in 2011, the new pools will open in 2012.

The new building will provide a 25 metre pool for lane swimming and a 16.7 metre learner pool.  The building has a café, multi-use studio space, and a community room.  The 70 station gym on the first floor will be the largest in Lewisham.  You can find the panels used in the travelling exhibition by searching for ‘Forest Hill Pools Exhibition’ on the Lewisham Council website.
Andrew Reid

More information can be found at http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/LeisureAndCulture/SportAndLeisure/SportsFacilities/NewDevelopments/ForestHillPools/PoolsExhibitionMarch2010.htm

Footnote
If you would like to now more about the history of Forest Hill Pools, local historian Steve Grindlay has produced a short documentary about them which you can view on http://www.se23.com/features/

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