King Alfred proposals: major improvements for children, young people and families

Brighton & Hove City Council has released updated information about the proposed new King Alfred Leisure Centre, celebrating the huge step forward it represents for children, young people, families and residents of all ages.

The current centre is well-used but coming to the end of its life.

A new facility will provide a vibrant, modern and inclusive hub for sport, play and wellbeing on the seafront.

Most of the functional areas in the new facility will be bigger and designed to make better use of the space available. For example:

• a much larger fitness suite with 140-150 stations, compared to around 30 stations in the current facility
• a larger main pool (8 lanes compared to 6)
• a larger (17m), more versatile teaching pool with a movable floor
• a dedicated spin cycling studio along with two group exercise studios
• a 6-court sports hall, larger than either of the two current sports halls, with a layout that will allow more flexible use than the current sports halls
• a multi-use community room
• a much larger cafe with sea views

The image below, prepared by our design team, gives a more representative comparison between the current and new facility. 

A dedicated leisure water area, inflatables, soft play and more for families

Meeting the needs of families and young children has been a driving principle behind the project.

The new King Alfred will have a dedicated leisure water area incorporating a host of water features such as interactive play, a slide or small enclosed flume along with jets/fountains aimed at younger children, providing them with an engaging space to have fun and gain water confidence.

Designs for the proposed leisure water area in the new facility are being developed, but the below examples show what the leisure area could include.

The teaching pool will feature a movable floor which will give the operator flexibility in offering a range of different activities, including shallow water sessions for young children.

The operator will also have the opportunity to use inflatables in the larger main pool, to create another exciting and fun environment for young children.

The new pools will have a modern state of the art heating and filtration system. This will enable the separate pools to be better controlled providing warmer water for infants and cooler water for swimmers. It also means that if there is a closure due to contamination in the leisure/teaching pool, the main pool will still remain open – an improvement on the current set up where one issue closes all the pools.

The new facility will also feature an exciting interactive soft play area for young children over 4 levels, which is being developed with some of the country’s leading soft play specialists. 

For slightly older children, the new six court sports hall will provide opportunities for roller sports, dry side inflatables, kids birthday parties and activities like 5-a-side football, 3x3 basketball and volleyball.

The new King Alfred will include a modern changing village, which is the current industry standard for UK swimming pools. This approach is already in place at the existing King Alfred and is widely used across the region, including at the Triangle Leisure Centre in Burgess Hill and The Dolphin in Haywards Heath.

Taken together, these features represent a much more compelling and attractive offer for young families. The exact specification of the leisure water is being developed with specialist suppliers, and the council will look to provide more information in the coming weeks.

Accessibility has been built in from the start

The council has worked closely with disabled residents, families and sports groups throughout. This work has taken place in collaboration with organisations including Possibility People, the Sussex Sight Loss Council and the Dolphins Disabled Swimming Club, together with the council’s own equalities and inclusion team.

Engagement has also included focus groups with disabled residents, onsite conversations with sports clubs, and a detailed simulation walk led by people with visual impairments. Their insights have directly shaped circulation routes, signage, arrival points and room layouts.

The new centre includes:

• a centrally located Changing Places facility
• clear wayfinding
• blue badge parking beside the lift core
• walk in steps for both pools
• Pool Pods for independent, dignified access
• direct access internally into the leisure centre from the car park – avoiding the need to access via outside.

Thousands of residents have been involved so far

In early 2024 a mailout was sent to 17,000 local homes to let them know about the consultation on the proposal to proceed with replacing the current facility. More than 3,600 people took part in the online survey and this was supported by a wide programme of drop-ins, workshops, exhibitions and engagement sessions across the city.

Last year’s consultation on the design proposals invited more than 600 online responses, huge engagement from local media and included an opportunity for anyone to speak directly to the design team.

A series of detailed face-to-face engagement sessions have ensured that everyone, from children’s swim clubs to disability groups, has had the opportunity to input into the design, helping shape the proposals now submitted for planning approval.

Councillor Alan Robins, Cabinet member for Sports, Recreation and Libraries, said: “The new King Alfred will be a fantastic space for families, children, young people and residents of all ages from across the whole city to enjoy.

“The new facility will provide a better experience for people in the city. There will be more space for sport and activities, more variety on offer and a more inclusive experience for all.

“Hundreds of people have already shared their views, and I’d encourage people to explore the plans and make a comment on the planning application if they’d like it to be considered.”

The planning application is open to view and comment until 17 April. Comments received after this can still be taken on board but a postal address must be given.