Council set to approve plans to refurbish Hampton leisure centre

The Cabinet meeting scheduled for Tuesday June 23 will see members deliberate a report which outlines delivering new changing facilities and a replacement Air Handling Unit (AHU) at Vivacity’s Premier Fitness venue in Hampton.

According to the report, which was authored by the council’s Principal Development Surveyor, Rachael Hunns, the scheme will aim to “improve the quality and resilience of the facilities and enable related refurbishment works to be undertaken during a single planned closure.”

Air Handling Units are integral when it comes to controlling air temperature/quality within leisure environments like swimming pools and changing rooms as warm showers and wet surfaces produce very high levels of moisture.

Investigations carried out in 2025 revealed the current AHU had reached the end of its operational life.

As replacing an AHU is a major project – and because parts of the changing facilities need to be altered or reconfigured during the AHU works – the Council has decided it is more efficient to complete a wider refurbishment, which will include changing areas, at the same time.

In terms of timeframe, in an email to members seen by The Local Democracy Service, Vivacity said: “We anticipate that once the investment is agreed, the work will be scheduled to take place towards the end of this year.”

Vivacity Premier Fitness is home to a pool, gym, fitness studios, treatment rooms and a café.

While the centre’s swimming pool and health suite will remain open during the refurbishment, there will be some temporary changing facilities put in place as the current changing areas will close for around 12 weeks.

The report states that the AHU replacement works and changing room refurbishment will be paid for by £800,000 capital funding, which has already been allocated via the Corporate Property Capital Programme.

However, the hiring of temporary changing facilities will require up to £250,000 of additional revenue funding, proposed to come from reserves.

The Cabinet meeting will be held at Sand Martin House at 4pm on Tuesday, June 23.