Property

Greenwich Council plans to demolish Waterfront Leisure Centre for housing after launching Woolwich Waves

Friday, 14 November 2025 5:06AM UTC

Greenwich Council is set to demolish the historic Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich and replace it with a new leisure facility and residential towers, marking a key phase in the area's ongoing regeneration and housing strategy.

Greenwich Council is set to demolish the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich, a facility that has served the community for 30 years, once the new Woolwich Waves leisure centre opens. Situated on a 2.25-acre site by the Thames near the Woolwich Ferry south dock, the aging building is earmarked for clearance to make way for housing development as part of the ongoing regeneration of Woolwich. The council's cabinet is scheduled to discuss the demolition and future sale of the site on November 19. The intention is to avoid issues often associated with vacant buildings, such as anti-social behaviour and security costs, and to ensure the land’s repurposing proceeds through a transparent and competitive sale, securing best value for the borough.

Woolwich Waves, the new flagship leisure centre, was named following a public vote earlier this year, where the community selected the winning title out of three options. The centre, which is expected to open next month, promises a state-of-the-art facility including an eight-lane 25-metre swimming pool, water slides, a two-floor gym, a health suite with a spa and sauna, sports halls, and various community amenities such as a soft play area and café. The council emphasises that Woolwich Waves is a central component of the broader Woolwich regeneration strategy, which also features improvements to local cultural venues like the refurbishment of Tramshed Theatre and the opening of Woolwich Works, aiming to enhance the town centre’s appeal for residents, visitors, and businesses.

Beyond the leisure centre, the redevelopment plan includes constructing several residential tower blocks on the site once occupied by the Waterfront Leisure Centre, aiming to deliver hundreds of new homes. Initial planning consent granted in 2022 covered 482 homes with a target of 35% affordable housing, although recent developments have seen adjustments. Notably, plans for 51 council homes behind Woolwich Waves were scrapped in mid-2025 due to changes in building regulations that rendered the original scheme financially unviable. The council has shifted towards providing affordable housing of unspecified tenure instead, a move that sparked concerns about the reduction in council housing provisions, especially important given the demolition of the nearby Troy Court block for over-55s residents.

The redevelopment aligns with both Greenwich Council and the Mayor of London’s affordable housing targets, underscoring housing provision as a crucial aspect of the area's regeneration. Moreover, the site’s proximity to local landmarks like the Woolwich Foot Tunnel, which has a rotunda behind the Waterfront facility, raises potential for integrating or highlighting these historic features within the new housing development.

Greenwich Council presents the closure of the Waterfront Leisure Centre and the transition to Woolwich Waves as a strategic, long-term plan aimed at delivering modern amenities while meeting the pressing housing needs in the borough. The council’s cabinet is expected to finalise decisions on the old centre’s demolition imminently, marking a significant phase in Woolwich’s transformation.

📌 Reference Map:

^[1] (MyLondon) - Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
^[2] (Royal Greenwich Council) - Paragraph 3
^[3] (Royal Greenwich Council) - Paragraph 3
^[4] (Royal Greenwich Council) - Paragraph 4, 5
^[5] (Royal Greenwich Council) - Paragraph 1, 6
^[6] (Greenwich Wire) - Paragraph 6, 7
^[7] (Greenwich Wire) - Paragraph 5

Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.mylondon.news/news/south-london-news/south-london-leisure-centre-demolished-32860528 - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/choose-name-new-leisure-centre-woolwich - In April 2025, Greenwich Council invited residents to vote on the name of the new leisure centre in Woolwich, offering three options: MOVE Woolwich, Woolwich Active, and Woolwich Waves. The public had two weeks to cast their votes, with the winning name to be announced later in the year. This initiative aimed to engage the community in the development of the new facility, which was set to open later in 2025. The council emphasized the importance of resident involvement in naming a venue that would serve the community for generations to come.
https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/woolwich-leisure-centre-named-after-thousands-vote - Following a public vote, Greenwich Council announced in May 2025 that the new leisure centre in Woolwich would be named Woolwich Waves. The name received 66.3% of the votes, with over 1,000 votes cast in the first 24 hours. The facility, set to open later in the year, will feature two swimming pools, water slides, a gym across two levels, a health suite with a spa and sauna, a five-a-side football pitch, sports courts, a creche, soft play areas, and a café. The council highlighted the significance of resident participation in naming the centre, reflecting the community's enthusiasm for the new venue.
https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/update-housing-element-woolwich-leisure-centre-scheme - In June 2025, Greenwich Council provided an update on the housing component of the Woolwich Leisure Centre Scheme. The new leisure centre, named Woolwich Waves, was set to open in autumn 2025, offering state-of-the-art facilities. The council had previously funded the refurbishment of the neighbouring Tramshed Theatre. The wider scheme aimed to deliver new homes, shops, dining options, and public spaces, including a new community square. Hill Residential Limited was the development partner for the housing element, with planning consent granted in September 2022 for the leisure centre and a scheme of 482 homes, 35% of which were designated as affordable housing.
https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/update-waterfront-leisure-centre - In November 2025, Greenwich Council announced plans to demolish the existing Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich following the opening of the new Woolwich Waves centre. The demolition aimed to prevent anti-social behaviour associated with vacant buildings. The council intended to repurpose the 2.25-acre site for future sale, ensuring best value for the borough. The redevelopment was expected to contribute to the council's and the Mayor of London's affordable housing targets, aligning with the regeneration efforts in Woolwich to make it a more attractive place for residents and visitors.
https://greenwichwire.co.uk/2025/11/12/woolwichs-waterfront-leisure-centre-site-to-be-sold-for-housing/ - In November 2025, The Greenwich Wire reported that Greenwich Council confirmed plans to demolish the Waterfront Leisure Centre in Woolwich and sell the site for housing after it closes. The new Woolwich Waves complex, set to open next month, will replace the existing centre. The council planned to sell the site to a residential developer, with no specific developer named in the reports. The article highlighted the potential impact on the Woolwich Foot Tunnel, which is located behind the Waterfront centre, and the possibility of making the tunnel's rotunda a more prominent feature in the new development.
https://greenwichwire.co.uk/2025/06/04/woolwich-waves-council-housing-scrapped/ - In June 2025, The Greenwich Wire reported that plans to build council housing behind the new Woolwich Waves centre were to be scrapped to save the project's next phase. The original plan included 51 council homes, but changes to building regulations made the project unviable. The council decided to remove the council housing component, with the 51 homes now to be used for affordable housing, though the specific tenure was not specified. The decision raised concerns about the lack of council housing in the development, especially given the previous commitment to replace Troy Court, a council block for over-55s due for demolition.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 8

Notes: The narrative is recent, with the latest publication on 13 November 2025. The earliest known publication date of substantially similar content is 12 November 2025. The report is based on a press release from Greenwich Council dated 11 November 2025, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative includes updated data but recycles older material, which may justify a higher freshness score but should still be flagged. ([royalgreenwich.gov.uk](https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/update-waterfront-leisure-centre?utm_source=openai))

Quotes check

Score: 9

Notes: Direct quotes from Cllr Majid Rahman in the report match those in the press release dated 11 November 2025. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. ([royalgreenwich.gov.uk](https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/news/2025/update-waterfront-leisure-centre?utm_source=openai))

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from a reputable organisation, Greenwich Council, which issued the press release. The report is published by MyLondon, a local news outlet, which is generally considered reliable.

Plausability check

Score: 9

Notes: The claims about the demolition of the Waterfront Leisure Centre and the opening of the new Woolwich Waves leisure centre are consistent with previous reports and official statements. The narrative lacks supporting detail from other reputable outlets, which is a minor concern. The tone and language are consistent with official communications from Greenwich Council.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is recent and based on a press release from a reputable organisation, with no significant discrepancies or issues identified. The quotes are original, and the source is reliable. The claims are plausible and consistent with previous reports.

Woolwich regeneration
Leisure centres
Housing development