New Malden leisure centre to receive £750k for essential repairs according to Kingston Council's budget.

The Malden Centre along Blagdon Road will see structural repairs to its roof, along with work on the centre's heating system according to deputy leader of the council and portfolio holder for leisure, Cllr Alison Holt.

The leisure centre was discussed in a committee meeting regarding Kingston's new leisure centre on Thursday 14 March, with Kingston upon Thames Society's Vice Chairman Anthony Evans describing the Malden Centre as "often oversubscribed".

Its swimming pool in particular means the centre has seen increased demand since the closure of Kingston town centre's Kingfisher Leisure Centre in 2019 over a £5m roof repair bill.

Cllr Holt responded to Mr Evans, saying: "These repairs will happen, it's in the budget and they're going to happen. 

"We are still continuing to look at liaising with the residents and the ward neighbourhood councillors to see what will come forward there. 

"It hasn't gone away. We are still looking at it, and we are still investing in the Malden Centre."

Mr Evans also claimed locals have been ignored for over 10 years after "the council engaged with a huge number of local residents in New Malden as to how they wanted the redevelopment of the Malden Centre [...] to take place".

He spoke of a Supplementary Planning Document that provided "the opportunity to replace the pool at the Malden Centre," although Nub News has been unable to find any evidence of such a document.

As a public comment, the councillors did not directly address Mr Evan's statement.

Other facilities in the area have been earmarked for repairs in the council's latest budget, such as Malden Library receiving £173k for structural repairs and £175k on fire door repairs.

Upon its introduction earlier this year, council leader Cllr Andreas Kirsch said: "We have had to take difficult decisions." 

Among these was a 4.99-percent council tax increase, the highest rise allowed without a referendum.