Labour Lambeth Plans Closure of Two Pools Before 2012 Olympics
Labour Lambeth plans to close two swimming pools at Clapham and Streatham in the run up to the 2012 Olympics. In 2006, Labour promised to “Keep Lambeth Swimming” but its ambitious promises to build new pools in Clapham and Streatham were flawed and depended on deals with private developers in the hope that new pools to replace old facilities could be built without taxpayer funding.
Labour bungling has subsequently delayed both schemes, meaning that two out of the borough’s three indoor pools could be shut for two years prior to 2010. Conservative Councillor Clare Whelan told the London Evening Standard: “I can’t believe that by now people aren’t swimming in a new pool in Clapham and Streatham. ”
So what went wrong?
Tesco-which promised to build a pool, ice rink, and homes in return for permission to build a store, halted the Streatham proposals in February 2009 and is in discussions with Labour Lambeth over a rethink. The leisure centre containing the Streatham pool was due to close last year. Tesco says no date has been set to re-tender the construction work.
Work on the Clapham pool, part of a £75 million development by the Cathedral Group, was meant to have started last January. The existing Clapham leisure centre is due to close in September.
