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Plans to replace White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley spark fury

Fitness club members have slammed plans to replace a 50 year-old leisure centre with a new smaller building offering less facilities.

Sevenoaks Council says White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley, built in 1967, is coming to the end of its life, is expensive to run, uses a lot of energy, and would cost too much to repair.

Plans for a new "energy efficient" leisure centre were announced earlier this year.

An artist's impression of what the new leisure centre in Hilda May Avenue, Swanley. Picture: Sevenoaks council
An artist's impression of what the new leisure centre in Hilda May Avenue, Swanley. Picture: Sevenoaks council

They propose a "modern leisure centre offering a first class experience with swimming and learner pools, a new gym with modern equipment, rooms for classes and other events," together with a new activity - Tagactive - a game designed to test strategy, speed and agility to promote fitness, fun and competition.

But members say the council is simply dressing up a cost-cutting exercise, and fear a raft of facilities will be lost - including a sports hall used for netball, football, short tennis, school holiday sporting sessions, toddler activities and six badminton courts.

The leisure centre hit the headlines in October 2017 when professional prankster Daniel Jarvis went swimming in the pool after hours.

Daniel, of Whitehill Road, Gravesend, and Lee Marshall, aka Disco Boy, filmed footage of the late-night escapade at centre before posting it on Facebook.

Among those most outraged by the new plans for the new centre are members of Primetime, the fitness club for over 50s, which meets three mornings each week.

Primetime members Ray Fuller said there was "fury" amongst the group over the plan, and the new centre could not be considered a replacement.

The White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley. Picture: John Westhrop
The White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley. Picture: John Westhrop

Mr Fuller said: "What does this mean for the hundreds of users of the present facility, in particular the sports hall and squash courts?

"It would immediately put a ‘stop’ to the exercise they currently enjoy and need to maintain a healthy lifestyle, which flies in the face of the advice being given and also being promoted by the government and various health organisations.

"With hundreds of Primtime members who are 50+ in age using the sports hall and swimming pool it is essential to continue providing these facilities and sports activities that they enjoy and need for continued mobility and good health."

Members of the Primetime club at White Oak Leisure Centre
Members of the Primetime club at White Oak Leisure Centre

Fellow Primetime member Christine Hodge said the loss would also be felt keenly among future generations.

"The Olympics were held in London in 2012 and were aimed at inspiring and providing a legacy for the next generation," she said.

"Without the facilities to play football, badminton, netball, squash where will future Olympians be inspired and be able to hone their skills?

"I wonder how long TAG active will be popular, but feel sure that in twenty years people will still be playing sports - if you allow them to!

"This omission is extremely short sighted and needs to be addressed."

Lynne and Derek Sutton
Lynne and Derek Sutton

Derek and Lynne Sutton also wrote to the council to express opposition and stating that "building a much smaller leisure centre is massively short-sighted and will only meet the needs of a fraction of the current centre's user's needs".

The said the proposals would "destroy Primetime at WOLC," adding: "The loss of Primetime will have a massive impact on a growing sector of the population, adversely affecting their health and wellbeing at a time when we are being encouraged to 'Age Well'.

"We found it both surprising and baffling that this was not spelt out in your "newsletter" and left for the abandoned customers like ourselves to discover if we dug deep enough. Perhaps the omissions were due to lack of space and of less importance than the 153 space car park."

Read more: All the latest news from Dartford

Read more: All the latest news from Sevenoaks

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