Friends of River Park

21/07/2026

https://www.hampshirechronicle.co.uk/news/26281643.river-park-campaigners-call-new-consultation-path-plans/

A fresh campaign has been launched over plans to build a footpath at River Park.

31/05/2026

Friends of River Park were glad to hear that the Lido group had got as far as submitting a bid for the site, and we will be interested to see how the bid progresses. All agree that a Lido would be a fantastic addition to family-orientated sporting venues in Wi******er. However, we question whether the River Park site is the best place for it.

As everyone knows, Friends of River Park remains committed to retaining the site in public ownership for public recreational use - so we don’t know whether any of the bid options tick the first box but this clearly sets itself on a trajectory towards the second. However, it does seem as though, if successful in its bid, Sea Lanes will enter into a commercial sale and they propose to develop and run the facility as a private enterprise.

As for the Council ’selling’ the publicly owned site to a third party on a 250-year lease, there are all sorts of hoops to go through. Because the taxpayers of Wi******er bought the site through a community levy (supported by grants) in 1902, it is held on a statutory trust for the public by the Council. There is a covenant which, in simple terms, requires the site to be kept in public ownership for public recreation and precludes the building of affordable housing: this would need to be broken and the site ‘appropriated’ – a complex legal transaction – before any commercial long lease could be entered into.

Sea Lanes must have carefully considered the serious Zone 3 flood risk and the fact of the River Itchen SSSI/SAC adjacent to the site on three sides. It will be interesting to know if the plans have discounted a raised, above-ground structure, as exists with the old swimming pool, in order to build a ground-level pool – as we see in the design plans.

Viability is no doubt another aspect which has been considered. The estimated £2.5m cost of the demolition of the redundant Leisure Centre will have to be factored in to the equation. There is also a question mark over potential for compromising the successful operation of the 50m pool at Bar End, although, of course, a public Lido is a very different proposition from a managed, covered pool with scope for competitive sport.

We await developments - and the announcement of other bids - with interest!

03/03/2026

See our response to the public consultation, reported by the Hampshire Chronicle soon after it closed.

A SECOND round of public consultation has ended for the future of the River Park Leisure Centre. The deadline was midnight on Sunday February 15 for…

28/02/2026

The desolation of the old River Park Leisure Centre building and its surroundings under flood. Add your voice to ours to ensure the demolition of the redundant, vandalised building as soon as possible, and a community-driven, green solution to the remediation of this precious site.

25/01/2026

Whatever the result of the public consultation on the future of the leisure centre site, it is high time the redundant, derelict building was demolished. It may be several years until an acceptable, viable, community driven purpose is determined and, in the meantime, we have a safety hazard which requires increasing amounts of taxpayer expenditure to insure, maintain and protect.

SECURITY is being beefed up at River Park Leisure Centre after a spate of anti-social behaviour including trespass by urban explorers who posted…

13/01/2026

Wi******er City Council has just published this announcement. Whether the expressions of interest include proposals for retaining the land in public ownership, for public recreational use, remain to be seen. But we intend to take a full part in the consultations and would encourage everyone to go along and to let us know their views. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1339575248208935&set=a.314267207406416

📣You're Invited!

We're holding a drop-in engagement event on the future of the former leisure centre site

📅Tuesday 27 January from 3-7pm
📍The Courtyard, Guildhall Wi******er, SO23 9GH

There is no need to book. Just pop along, find out more, ask questions and tell us what you think.

Can’t make the event? Don’t worry. From Tuesday 27 January, residents will have the opportunity to read the updated project information and tell us what they think via our website: www.winchester.gov.uk/former-leisure-centre-site

📣Find out more- https://www.winchester.gov.uk/news/2026/jan/future-development-options-for-the-former-leisure-centre-site

21/11/2025

FORP letter to Hampshire Chronicle 20.11.25

21/11/2025

RPLC on the market again...

CIVIC chiefs are to have another go at disposing of the vandal-hit River Park Leisure Centre.

20/11/2025

See the 22/11/25 Hampshire Chronicle front page article and Editorial Comment and letter on p22:

SO here we are. The future of the River Park Leisure Centre is again in the spotlight. Some six months after the deal collapsed with Southampton…

14/11/2025

There is an issue in regard to the wooden bridge across the river between Hyde Abbey Garden (and the car park) and River Park. This bridge is actually part of the Hyde Abbey commemorative Garden, it is Grade II listed, and it is only for pedestrian use. It’s not intended, nor is it strong enough, to bear the weight of vehicular traffic.

One of our group members twice came across van drivers who had been given the keys to unlock the padlocks out of the stanchions either side of the bridge in order to repair the pitches. On both occasions they were told they couldn’t do that but they professed to know nothing about any prohibition.

The stanchions were removed completely for the Bonfire Night and scaffolding was erected which used the side balustrades as supports – they are now leaning outwards as a result.