Hounslow Council has appointed AECOM, working with Faulkner Browns Architects, to take forward plans for a new Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre.
The team will now develop the design and carry out the technical and planning work needed for the proposed redevelopment of the site.
The appointment marks an important step in plans to replace the existing centre, which has served the local community since 1987, with a modern leisure centre facility designed around the needs of Brentford and its communities.
Emerging proposals for the new centre include modern swimming pools with moveable floors, interactive water-play facilities, a larger gym, sports hall, fitness studios, improved changing facilities and new family and community spaces.
The plans are part of the Council’s ambition for a Fairer Future, where everyone benefits. This means investing in Brentford and giving local people better opportunities to live healthy, active lives.
The new centre will be developed with residents, schools and community groups. A second round of engagement is planned for October and November, giving local people the opportunity to respond to the emerging proposals and help shape aspects of the design and user experience.
This builds on engagement in 2024-25, when more than 900 people shared their views on what they would like to see from a new leisure centre. Swimming, accessible fitness facilities and family-friendly spaces were consistently highlighted as priorities, and that feedback is now helping to shape the developing proposals.
The project is also part of the Council’s wider approach to regeneration, which aims to ensure investment in Brentford delivers visible benefits for local people and creates a place the community can be proud of. As part of the wider redevelopment, the proposals also include new homes and improved public realm. The residential element will contribute towards the cost of delivering the new leisure centre and reduce the amount the Council would otherwise need to borrow.
The design team is now developing proposals informed by what residents have already said, ahead of the next conversation with the community.
In the meantime, Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre remains open as normal, with no closure date yet set.
Councillor Tom Bruce, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development at Hounslow Council, said: “Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre has served the community for nearly 40 years – I have visited frequently, both as a child and more recently with my own family. But the building is ageing and no longer fit for purpose. We now have an opportunity to create a modern leisure centre that meets the growing requirements of the area.
"Local people have already told us what matters most to them in a new centre, and have given us plenty to consider. As we move into the next stage, we’ll continue working with everyone to make sure we get this right. Brentford is already a fantastic place, and it’s vital that the investments we’re making deliver real benefits for local people."
Councillor Salman Shaheen, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Public Realm at Hounslow Council, said: “Good local leisure facilities make a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing, whether that’s learning to swim, keeping fit or being active with family and friends.
“We want the new Brentford Fountain to be a place everyone can use and enjoy. Residents have told us what matters to them and, as the plans develop, we’ll keep listening to make sure those priorities are reflected in the new centre.”
For further information on the project and upcoming opportunities to share your views, visit the Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre page on the Let’s Talk website:
