First glimpse of new look Westcroft (From Your Local Guardian)

First glimpse of new look Westcroft in Carshalton

8:30am Saturday 11th February 2012 in News By James Pepper

This is what the borough's brand new swimming pool will look like when it is opened in 2013.

Westcroft Leisure Centre in Carshalton closed in October to undergo a multi-million pound revamp which is set to be opened early next year.

The new main pool will have eight lanes and be 25m in length to allow local swimming clubs to take part in competitions and galas, while there will also be a larger teaching pool.

The old pools have been demolished and asbestos from the 1970s building has been removed.

Councillor Graham Tope, Sutton Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety, Leisure and Libraries, said: "It’s a major undertaking but the old Westcroft was tired and jaded and this revamp will create a facility which the whole community can use and be proud of."

"The borough has needed a competition length pool like this for a long time and it will help our swimming clubs build on the considerable success they have achieved in the past."

The 600,000 users who visit Westcroft every year have transferred to the borough’s three other leisure centres, Cheam, Sutton Arena and the Phoenix Centre, as well as to Carshalton College, Sutton Junior Tennis Centre and Sutton High School.

Cheam and Sutton Arena have received a £950,000 refurbishment to help them cope with the extra demand while Westcroft is shut.

Next month the shell of the new Westcroft will begin to take shape as work steps up ahead of the completion of the project early next year.

Other improvements include an eight badminton court-sized sports hall, a 170 workout station gym, a creche, café, IT facilities and a new library replacing the current Carshalton library.

Carshalton Library will remain open in its present building until the new library is ready to open.