The latest design of Kingston's long-awaited leisure centre will put the project £3.63m over-budget according to a recent council report.

Calls for a new design came after previous plans clocked in at nearly double the project's budget at £79.5m

Estimated to cost a total of £44.87m, the new design would exceed the funding originally allocated to the project by Kingston Council.

"However, the £44.87m [...] estimate allows for inflation, contractor risk, and a council contingency of £1.5m," says a report to be discussed by the council's place committee.

It continues: "Given the quality of the facilities proposed and their fit with local needs, this cost estimate is considered to be within an acceptable range and to represent value for money to the council."

The old Kingfisher site, Fairfield Road, Kingston in Summer 2023 (Photo: Facundo Arrizabalaga)

While £44.5m was set aside for the project, the council has spent £3.26m as of 11 March 2024 on "costs incurred on the demolition and design work from the previous scheme".

Most recently was £387,148 spent on an outline of the new design by Alliance Leisure Services Ltd.

The report suggests Alliance Leisure also be awarded a design contract worth £2.59m "for pre-construction, design, and professional services" on the basis of "[ensuring] continuity and fast paced delivery".

The previous Kingfisher Leisure Centre was closed before being demolished after essential repairs to its roof were estimated to cost more than £5m.

Chris Jones, author of the report and the project's programme director, was recently made an MBE in King Charles' first New Year honours list for delivering Sandwell Aquatics Centre, part of Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022. 

The report itself, found here, will be presented to the council's place committee at a meeting on 14 March where the new design and the associated contracts will be voted on.