The updated timescale for Kingston's new leisure centre has been revealed confirming residents of the borough would have been waiting eight years by the time the Kingfisher replacement opens its doors.

Ahead of the highly-anticipated Place Committee on June 20th where Kingston Council will present their updated plans on the new complex at the Kingfisher site, details have been revealed on the timescale and new facilities that will be included within the amended project.

Within official documents that will be presented at next week's committee, Kingston Council has confirmed the forecasted length of the project including design, planning, procurement and construction will consist of 42 months, and subject to the updated plans being approved, 'this would see a new facility being available for public use in quarter one, 2027'. Building works are to begin in 2025.

The Kingfisher shut back in 2019 after it was decided repairs to fix the roof would cost more than £5m. 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 but in March of this year, the council revealed it had been forced back to the drawing board after being told through a tendering process it would cost £79.5m, almost double the £43.8m that had been put aside for the project.

The current site of the former Kingfisher Leisure Centre (Credit: Nub News)

Despite a timeframe for Kingston's new leisure centre having finally been revealed following the council conducting of 'a thorough review of the new leisure centre', residents of the borough have been quick to voice their clear frustrations at the fact eight years would have passed by the time the new complex opens to the public.

Jon Tolley, who resigned as a Lib Dem councillor back in September 2021 due to concerns of the council's redevelopment of the Kingfisher, told Nub News: "I am desperately disappointed that the shambles of the Kingfisher replacement has continued, and dare I say gotten worse. To hear that even in the best case the pool would open EIGHT YEARS after its original closure it's a massive failure. And one so many people saw coming.

"So many false promises and in some cases lies have got us to this point, and still no apology from the council. Thousands of kids having had this facility taken away from them, for no justifiable reason. It wasn't just predictable. It was predicted. And those who predicted it were ridiculed by the very same people who are now spinning this as being a good news story. It's not."

The Kingston Banquet Record's owner continued: "I do want to admit I was wrong about one thing on the Kingfisher though. I said when my kid was born she'd probably be a 6-year-old by the time she got to swim in Kingston. That was wrong. She'll be a lot older than that."

Jon Tolley joined residents of the Kingston community in a protest at Kingston Council's corporate and resources committee back in March by dressing up in swimming gear (Credit: Bobby Vasilev/BobbyVMedia)

Updated plans reveal a two-story building will be designed with the hope of ensuring the project is delivered within the council's £41.24m budget, with £3.26m having been spent so far. The new complex will also include an eight-lane swimming pool and teaching pool with spectator seating, as well as four court sports halls, studio spaces, a gym, squash courts and a cafe.

Andreas Kirsch, leader of the Lib Dem run council, stressed Kingston Council has worked 'as quickly as possible' to bring forward revised plans whilst ensuring 'robust processes are in place for delivery'.

He said: "We are fully committed to providing a new leisure centre with swimming facilities for the borough on this site. We have made progress as quickly as possible to bring forward revised plans, whilst ensuring robust processes are in place for delivery.

"We have a clear route for procuring the services we need to design and build the new centre within an affordable budget. This means that we will deliver the facilities that meet the needs of residents and that they told us they wanted most. To do this we reconsidered some of the facilities in the centre, reviewed the overall design and structure, and looked at the business model. This enables us to include additional benefits, such as a new wellbeing suite and spa and a larger soft play area, while retaining our focus on inclusion, disabled-friendly access and sustainability.

"We know that the leisure centre is crucially important for people and communities across Kingston and for the wider culture and heritage-led regeneration of the town centre. The plans now in place will enable us to do this in a responsible and timely way."

Kingston Council's updated plans will be considered at the council's Place Committee on 20th June, full details can be found here.