PLEASE COME TO THE FAIRFIELD IN KINGSTON TOMORROW, WEDNESDAY 4 MAY 2022, AT 16.30 TO MOURN THE LOSS TO KINGSTON'S COMMUNITIES OF THE KINGFISHER LEISURE CENTRE

Quietly, on 27 April 2022, hidden beneath a public webpage that states that the status of the decision to demolish The Kingfisher Leisure Centre is "unknown", Kingston Council has published another page that states that - on Wednesday 27 April 2022 - the Council granted permission for the demolition. The Council can legally start the demolition 6 weeks from that date when the time to mount a legal challenge of the decision expires

But Kingston Council has not approved any plans for a new leisure centre and nor has it raised the £40 million before professional fees it says are needed to fund such a centre

Despite the lack of any approved planning application, the Liberal Democrat administration said only a few days ago in an email to residents that "the new centre is due to open by 2024" - that is only 19 months away

Yet The Kingfisher is still standing

Experts have stated that there is the possibility that archaeological artefacts of national importance may lie beneath The Kingfisher. These would take months to uncover in a manner that would preserve their significance

In a letter of endorsement to the council of plans for greater swimming provision across the Borough, Swim England talks about a new leisure centre being finished in FIVE years from now - that is in 2027. That will mean Kingston residents will have been without a town centre pool for 8 years

I strongly believe that the situation is untenable and that The Kingfisher should not be demolished given the continuing uncertainty about future provision of swimming and leisure facilities in Kingston Town

The Kingfisher should instead be repaired and reopened

In an email to Swim England of which I have had sight, Councillor Caroline Kerr, when she was leader of the Council, said of The Kingfisher that "the roof collapsed in 2019" which - as far as I am aware - is something that has not happened

Councillor John Sweeney separately mentioned in an email to a council officer in October 2021 that Swim England's reference to a new centre opening "in 5 years" needed changing "to reflect our ambition to open the new Kingston leisure centre in the next three years". It seems like the timeframe for completion of a possible new centre is variable to say the least

Sport England continues to object to the demolition of The Kingfisher Leisure Centre

I understand that Sport England has responded to the planning application for a new leisure centre but Kingston Council has yet to respond to my request that they share the response with me

Please join me tomorrow, Wednesday 4 May 2022 at 16.30 on The Fairfield to mourn the imminent demolition of The Kingfisher Leisure Centre

Published and Promoted by Caroline Teresa Shah for Caroline Teresa Shah of KT2 5JY, 205. I am standing as an Independent Candidate for Kingston Gate Ward in Kingston in the Local Elections on 5 May 2022