Works to get under way on new leisure centre in West Drayton
Friday 18 February 2022: A ceremonial ground-breaking took place in West Drayton this week as residents moved one step closer to a new, ultra-modern leisure centre.
Members of both parties were joined by others on the project team at the site, on the corner of Harmondsworth Road and Rowlheys Place, to mark the official start of the build.
The new leisure centre will be a vital community amenity serving residents of Yiewsley and West Drayton and affirms the council's commitment to providing first class leisure opportunities for residents and enabling them to live healthier, more active lives.
Cllr Susan O'Brien, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Families, Education and Wellbeing, said: "It is fantastic news for residents that this brilliant new leisure centre is now one step closer.
"We're delighted to have Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd on board who I am sure will lead this project brilliantly and deliver a first-class facility that residents deserve and will no doubt become a real hub for the local community.
"Once complete, Hillingdon will have an enviable offering of leisure facilities serving everyone, from elite sportspeople, to those just trying to lead a more active lifestyle."
The leisure centre will house a 25-metre swimming pool, training pool, splash-zone, gym and health suite, soft play, climbing wall, youth zone, a café and terrace, and even a rooftop 3G turf football pitch.
Residents were consulted on the plans in September 2019 and their feedback has been incorporated into the design wherever possible.
Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd has a strong track record in delivering specialist sports and leisure facilities. Similar projects they've completed include The Wave leisure centre, in Coventry.
Among recent contracts, Buckingham Group has been chosen to deliver the proposed expansion of the Anfield Road Stand at Liverpool Football Club. The company was also responsible for constructing the ArcelorMittal Orbit Slide at the Olympic Park in east London in 2016 and for the 2018 renovations to RHS Wisley in Surrey.
As part of the conditions for planning, Buckingham Group has pledged to maximise employment and training opportunities for borough residents. This will include an award-winning apprenticeship programme to help young people, particularly those with no formal educational qualifications, to gain vital skills and work experience.
Buckingham Group will also carry out visits to local schools, offering support in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and careers advice, and careers fairs.
It will also support Hillingdon Adult and Community Learning Centre, and local community groups.
Sustainability will be a heart of the project, which will use environmental best practices for reducing the carbon footprint during both construction and the ongoing life of the sports centre.
Works are underway with tree surveys and bore holes taking place this month, demolition of the old buildings due in mid-April, and ground works scheduled to begin this summer.