Kingston Council has refused to apologise for further delays to the borough's new leisure centre pointing to factors 'outside of council control' but stressed its commitment to delivering the project 'has not changed'.

The local authority is in the process of reviewing plans for the borough's new leisure centre after it announced earlier this month the project's cost now stands at £79.5 million, almost double the original budget that was first announced of £39.6 million.

The Kingfisher on Fairfield Road shut in 2019 after it was decided that repairs to fix the roof would cost more than £5 million. Proposals to bulldoze the centre were green-lit in March 2022, with demolition completed later that year despite a petition signed by almost 4,000 locals to halt the move. The replacement facility won planning permission in May.

During the council's Place Committee yesterday evening (Tuesday, March 21), Kingston's Banquet Record's owner Jon Tolley questioned councillors on when they first knew the 2024 timeline for the new leisure centre would not be completed and if any of the committee would like to apologise for knocking down the previous centre without a 'workable plan' in place for its replacement.

Kingston resident Jon Tolley during last night's place committee

Council leader Andreas Kirsch referred to factors outside of the authority's control as reason for the new leisure centre's failed 2024 timeline whilst stressing local authorities across the countries are faced with the delaying and reviewing of leisure and other capital projects, whilst also referencing the UK governments' delay to HS2.

The Chessington South and Malden Rushett Cllr said: "I fully understand residents are frustrated and disappointed and I regret that factors outside of the councils control have forced the delay in the project. The world around has changed, the construction industry is facing unprecedented pressures plus the wider economy, as a country we are seeing inflation rates not seen for decades and across all sectors we are facing labour and skill shortages.

"The council has taken a financial prudent decision to review the proposals of the new leisure centre and our commitment to build a new leisure centre on the same sight remains firmly in place."

Council leader Andreas Kirsch responding to Mr Tolley's questioning

Mr Tolley, who resigned as a Lib Dem councillor back in September 2021 due to concerns of the council's redevelopment of the Kingfisher, responded by asking what lessons the authority had learnt after the two missed deadlines of Kingston's new leisure centre.

Mr Kirsch reaffirmed his point that 'reasons outside of the control of the council' had led to the authority being forced back to the drawing board and that if they had received a tender at a different price there would have 'probably' not been a delay in the timeline.

The Lib Dem leader remained tight-lipped on a potential updated timeline due to the authority remaining in the reviewing stage of current proposals.

CGI of the originally proposed new leisure centre (Credit: Kingston Council)

Mr Tolley was initially denied the chance to answer a second question leading to Cllr Rowena Bass and Cllr James Giles pushing for a vote to be cast.

Following a decision of eight votes for and five against including Cllr Kirsch, Mr Tolley again demanded an apology from the council leader.

Councillor Kirsch responded by stating the Kingfisher had not been demolished 'without any firm plan in place'.

He added: "We had a planning application in place, we had a firm commitment to the leisure centre in place, everything was lined up. Unfortunately, the tender came back for a price which we couldn't agree to and that's why we need to review the project."

Original plans for the centre included two swimming pools, a café, five-a-side rooftop football pitches and a climbing wall. The council is now looking into alternatives to the original facility and will provide more details in due course.