Halton Council is considering a significant redevelopment plan that involves demolishing the Kingsway Leisure Centre for housing and elderly use.
- The £750,000 project will pave the way for new real estate opportunities by clearing the site for developers.
- A new leisure facility is underway at Moor Lane, replacing the old Kingsway Centre, which is deemed outdated.
- Local council aims to integrate educational opportunities through collaboration with Riverside College in the redevelopment project.
- The initiative includes transforming the area into the ‘Kingsway Quarter,’ focusing on residential development with elderly accommodations.
Halton Council is poised to approve a strategic initiative to demolish the Kingsway Leisure Centre as part of a redevelopment plan focusing on expanding housing and creating an elderly complex. Scheduled for a meeting on Thursday, council members are expected to allocate £750,000 for dismantling the existing structure, thereby preparing the land for future development.
With a replacement leisure facility already under construction at Moor Lane, the existing Kingsway Centre is considered obsolete. Originally built in the 1970s and expanded in the 1980s, the old structure is now being replaced as part of broader council plans to rejuvenate the area.
The redevelopment extends beyond the leisure centre, targeting adjacent sites currently occupied by defunct law courts, a police station, and Broseley House. The council envisions this area, known as the ‘Kingsway Quarter,’ to become a primarily residential zone with specialized accommodations for the elderly designed to ensure better accessibility to the town center.
Highlighting a strategic educational opportunity, the council intends to collaborate with Riverside College to involve students and apprentices in the development project, thus enhancing skill-building and professional growth.
According to the council’s report, the demolition of the leisure center represents the removal of the last obstacle needed to market the ‘Kingsway Quarter’ for comprehensive redevelopment. The project has been in planning since 2011, following the Ministry of Justice’s closure of local law courts, which catalyzed an effort to consolidate the Kingsway Quarter.
The council has earmarked capital funds to finance the demolition, ensuring that these allocated resources focus on construction and infrastructural endeavors rather than drawing from service budgets. Demolition is projected to begin by next spring, pending approval, aligning with strategies to mitigate risks such as antisocial behavior on the vacated site.
The redevelopment of the Kingsway site illustrates the council’s forward-thinking approach to urban planning, blending residential needs with educational and community benefits.
