A Kingston swimming club is worried about its future as plans to redevelop Cocks Crescent, in New Malden, could see the club without a pool for months.
Kingston Royals Swimming Club, which has 500 members, is currently based at the Malden Centre.
Despite no concrete plans for the site, the centre may close as part of the Cocks Crescent redevelopment works.
The swimming club has called on Kingston Council to commit to replacing the pool at the Malden Centre – and also build a competitive Olympic-sized pool elsewhere in the borough.
Club chairman Tim Boden said: “The outcome of this is absolutely critical to the club’s future.
“It could range from a 50m pool with spectator facilities, which would be fantastic, right through to the loss of the existing pool without replacement.”
There are currently only two public swimming pools in Kingston, the other being at the Kingfisher leisure centre, in Farfield Road.
There are, however, swimming pools in some of the borough’s schools.
The proposal to build an additional 50m pool has received backing from Kingston MP James Berry, who would like a third built south of the A3.
The Conservative MP met with the club last Friday, September 18.
He said: “I’d love to see another swimming pool in Kingston.
“We already have fewer pools in Kingston per head of population than other boroughs and that’s before you take our growing population into account.
“There will always be a pool in New Malden, but if you look at the number of people living in Kingston we don’t have anywhere near enough swimming pools.”
Kingston Council has been working with the New Malden Future Group since July to create a redevelopment plan for Cocks Cresent.
Results on a public consultation on the development are due to be announced shortly.
Kingston Royals vice-chairman Julian Oldfield has launched a petition to fight the “irreparable damage” leaving the borough with only one swimming pool could have for the club.
Visit epetition.kingston.public-i.tv/epetition_core/community/sign/3257.
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