More than 3,500 residents have shared their views on proposals to replace the ageing King Alfred with a new flagship leisure centre.
Brighton and Hove City Council wants to build a new leisure centre either on the existing site, or another off the Old Shoreham Road in Hangleton.
A consultation was extended after some residents said they had not heard about the proposals. The online questionnaire finally closed last Friday.
Drop-in sessions were also held for residents to talk to council officers.
Alan Robins, the council’s leisure lead, said: “We’d like to thank all those residents, sports club members, community groups and other organisations in the city, who have shared their views with us over the last few weeks.
“The huge response to the questionnaire shows us how much local people want to be involved in planning for a new leisure centre, and we will continue to update residents as our plans progress.
“We will be taking all comments on board as we move forward to the next stage and work with independent experts to develop an exciting, modern and sustainable leisure centre we can all be proud of.
“After several failed attempts to re-develop the King Alfred, we now have ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to finally make this happen.”
Each of the sites offers potential for a ‘state of the art’ leisure centre, complete with 25 metre competition swimming pool, separate learner pool and leisure water, sports hall, health and fitness facilities, including gym and cycling studio, group exercise space and café.
The proposals for each site differ due to size, cost, building considerations and constraints. Wherever the site is built, the specification is dependent on selling some, or all of, the current site for a residential-led development to pay for the new facility.
Responses from the questionnaire and public engagement sessions will be taken into account alongside work with independent experts to review the costs, benefits and challenges of the delivery options and cost proposals.
The final decision will be taken back to the council’s Culture, Heritage, Sports, Tourism and Economic Development Committee in the summer.
On site work is still expected to begin in 2025.
We used to call this building the Devil Tower when I was growing up in Hove. Apparently the devil was trapped beneath and would come up once a year to cause havoc and mayhem. We were very scared of it! Save the Devil Tower!
Cllr Robins seems more interested in getting his hands on and developing the King Alfred ‘site’ rather than providing replacement leisure facilities for the people of Brighton and Hove. I wonder what’s in it for him.
I don’t see how there’s going to be space for residential and the new build sports centre on the existing site. Hopefully what ever happens it will remain in Hove there is wast land next to, underneath and I presume the gym next door is part of King Alfred as well. The ballroom would make a amazing space for just the gym alone would like David Lloyd. The pool is fine at King Alfred good do with re tiling and hopefully they will invest in robot to clean, don’t know why they don’t have one now.
Oh, there is more than plenty space. It’s a bit deceiving visually, but that’s a huge space to work with. I think you are right that it is important there is easy access to sports and leisure facilities to all parts of Brighton.
I think you meant to say that in your humble opinion that ‘the pool is
fine’ for many people- especially the disabled and those rehabilitating, it is not fine at all. Its wet but that’s about it!
Shame on moving it to hangleton it needs to be updated where it is
Why not both areas?
It needs to be rebuilt where it already is because its the best place for it and has a car park on site.
What a farce! Needs to be redeveloped, if the council really need to line their pockets why don’t they sell that expensive car park next door and let them build there. I guess the King Alfred plot is much larger, nothing but greed here.
Moving it to Hanglton will provide the area with a lovely facility of which North Portslade is lacking. I hope it moves, and I understand why the locals of King Alfred want it to stay where it is. But as always, it’ll be money that makes the decision.
I think that is a really balanced comment, Nick. Does appear that way, residents from both areas wanting the same facility. Makes me wonder if “both” is a feasible solution?
And yes, money always has to be a consideration, unfortunately so, because unsustainability is how you end up going bankrupt. We only have to look at The Bevy for a recent example of this.
I think the problem with developing on both sites becomes the money. The current budget situation I’d assume means that there isn’t a pot just sitting there so the development of either site relies on the sale of some of the KA site. And thusnjusy developing both would need funding of multi millions which there is currently no way to generate
It would be lovely to have a facility like this in North Portslade/ Hangleton, I hope it moves.
North Portslade already has sports facilities
… but no pool.
The Council’s previous leisure survey of 2020/2021 showed that over 75% of respondents opted either for refurbishment of the existing King Alfred or its replacement on the same site.
Just 8 percent, or 115 people, wanted it moved. That’s 0.04% of the total population of Brighton and Hove.
With stats like those it’s pretty extraordinary that the idea of moving it is even being pursued. And the Hangleton site is pretty dreadful unless you live in the immediate locality – no prospect of getting to it except by car, which goes against every recent planning principle and good environmental common sense.
It would be good to know the results of this latest survey in full and not have them selectively spun to us.
Incidentally, I saw nothing at the King Alfred itself to say that this survey was taking place. Very odd not to alert centre users to the fact that it was taking place, and bound to excite suspicion that the council leadership has its heart set on Hangleton, and a load of luxury flats on the seafront that few locals could dream of being able to afford.
I personally believe that they have been trying to sell of this site for years. Guaranteed to be alleged environmental friendly affordable housing!
When I was a young girl, I loved it they had everything you needed and is massive.
The council have deliberately left it for years to decline.
It is in a beautiful location and I will be devastated to see yet another awful loss of useful facilities due to Brighton councils greed!
Why are we losing sight of the fact that the beach and therefore seafront is a communal space which attracts not only nearby residents but people from all over the country? The esplanade is used constantly by walkers, runners, fundraisers, holidaymakers, and anyone who wants a whiff of sea air all year round. The King Alfred should remain as the community hub it always has been, that was it’s intention from day one and should continue to be, attracting people from all over. To allow a massive housing development the size of Moda on Sackwille Road is to put further pressure on Hove, overcrowding the schools, medical centres and bringing even more locaĺ traffic and parking problems to the area. Brighton and Hove Council has a once in a lifetime chance to make this city an even more attractive destination than it already is. The King Alfred, with its Heritage connections, should stay where it is, as a refurbished or rebuilt sports and leisure facility, making our seafront a place where all can come to enjoy its sporting and leisure facilities year round. The English weather calls for indoor facilities, this is your chance to make a magnificent extension of the sports and outdoor games facilities being built along the seafront for the use of everybody. More attractions = more people using them = more money spent in the local community: your community…your voters! Please, listen to your local community and make a decision which will not have a negative impact, but rather enhance this city for the good of all. Large developments can be built anywhere there is space, but the seafront is where there should be a chance for all ( especially those needing more space to kick their heels because they live in crowded conditions), to come and enjoy what could be a wonderful sports and leisure facility. Please keep The King Alfred where it is and build a bigger and better version of it…you even have space for parking and you know that brings in excellent revenue!
Whatever the residents say and want it has already been decided by the few.ln my opinion they will do what they want and are just going through the legal process and come out with an explanation that 90% of residents agree with this .
Very sad to hear that the Devil Tower will be destoryed. “Devil” in olde Sussex dialect means “Swimming” and “Tower” menss a body of water, pond or pool. The previous commenter heard the urban myth that the Devil, licifer himself, lived below the pool. He shouldn’t be scared. It is just a swimming pool.