The London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) engaged Max Associates to conduct a feasibility study for the potential redevelopment of Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre (BFLC).
BFLC is one of six leisure centres operated by Lampton Leisure in collaboration with LBH, under an “agency agreement” model. This partnership is focused on providing high-quality leisure services that encourage health, wellbeing, and active living throughout the borough.
In parallel with the Feasibility Study, Max Associates also completed a borough-wide, Sport England-compliant Built Facility Strategy (BFS).
Outcome
The Regeneration team are considering the facility mix options aligned to the overall space and affordability factors of the wider masterplan for the site.
Summary of Project
LBH was keen to gather robust evidence to guide strategic decision-making regarding the most suitable facility mix for the proposed new leisure centre. Their goal was to understand local community needs, demographic shifts, and participation trends to ensure the future facility offering meets both current and projected demand.
A key focus was identifying priority areas for resource allocation to maximise impact on physical activity levels. The study also explored how collaborative efforts in these areas could drive long-term, sustainable improvements in residents’ health and wellbeing.
The resulting feasibility report proposed an evidence-based optimal facility mix that balances commercial viability with community needs and aligns with the Council’s broader strategic objectives.
As part of the assessment, the existing leisure centre’s performance was reviewed. Key performance indicators were benchmarked against industry norms to highlight areas of strength and opportunities for improvement, informing decisions around potential investments to support revenue growth.
A supply analysis was also conducted, including a detailed review of the competitive landscape across both traditional and commercial leisure offerings within the Borough, to evaluate factors that may influence future development.
Additionally, building condition surveys were reviewed, outlining major findings, repair cost estimates, and the implications these costs may have on the feasibility of further investment.
We worked with the client team to consider a number of business plan options to maximise the deliverability of the overall project.
