Success for White Oak Leisure Centre in first year

The brand new £20m White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley has reported 400,000 visitors since opening in February 2022.

Nearly 3,000 fitness members have joined, 800 children have signed up for swimming lessons and more than 160,000 people have swum at the pool.

General manger at Everyone Active, who run the site in partnership with Sevenoaks council, Ashley King, said: “The response we have received from our members has been overwhelmingly positive during the past year, and we are pleased to see so many new and returning members through our doors. It is great to see the community benefiting from all the fantastic activities on offer.”

The new centre features two pools – a 25m six lane main pool with a movable floor and a learner pool – and  also boasts a 100+ station gym that’s packed with all the very latest fitness equipment, a soft play area, a virtual group cycling studio, a two-court sports hall and multi-purpose rooms. The centre also includes TAG Active, a game-based indoor obstacle course for kids and a ‘feel good suite’ designed for people who find it more difficult to exercise.

The project first began back in 2019 when Max Associates was appointed by Alliance Leisure (ALS) and Sevenoaks District Council to deliver a feasibility study for the replacement of White Oak Leisure Centre.

Max Associates supported ALS by developing a suitable and innovative facility mix for the new centre, to meet the Council’s objectives to maximise usage and focus on providing facilities for local residents and families in Swanley. As the centre was being constructed, they led a competitive procurement process to appoint a new operator to manage the centre on behalf of the Council.

Sevenoaks council’s cabinet member for people and places, Cllr Lesley Dyball, added: “The new White Oak Leisure Centre was a significant investment for Sevenoaks District Council, but with some 400,000 visits in the first year alone, it is already paying off.

“We are extremely proud of the new centre, which is fully accessible and energy efficient offering a wide range of activities for our communities. I am so pleased our residents have embraced the new centre and all it has to offer.”

You can find out more about the new centre here: https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/white-oak-leisure-centre/

Success for White Oak Leisure Centre in Swanley in first year (kentonline.co.uk)