Eastwood Park Leisure Centre: Eastwood Park appears to be the current favoured location

A study is to be carried out on the feasibility of building the new leisure centre in Eastwood Park.
Where will the new leisure centre end up being built?Where will the new leisure centre end up being built?
Where will the new leisure centre end up being built?

All SNP and Labour councillors voted in favour of exploring all sites in East Renfrewshire for a new leisure centre at last week’s meeting.

The Director of Environment will now undertake the master planning of Eastwood Park, exploring the feasibility of a new build leisure centre within Eastwood Park based upon the latest information on council property options for schools and office accommodation.

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The report will go before the council with an options appraisal for the future provision of leisure facilities in the Eastwood area once this work has been completed.

Council chiefs also refused to rule out building a new leisure centre on greenspace outside of Eastwood Park, with Shawwood Park, Broomburn and Overlee Parks still very much on the table.

Newton Mearns South Councillor Swift said: “The SNP and Labour had the opportunity to take Shawwood, Broom Park and Overlee off the table.

“They decided not to do so. Now that Conservative requests for a new denominational High School have been agreed, there is no need to move the site for the leisure centre from Eastwood Park.

“They just don’t listen; to either sense or the public.”

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He added: “There is no longer any need to pretend we can’t have a new leisure centre in Eastwood Park.”

Council leader Tony Buchanan has insisted that no decision had been made and officers will also look at additional sites that aren’t currently owned by the local authority.

He said: “The leisure centre consultation showed most people support for the option of a new facility but there was significant support for the redevelopment on the existing site of Eastwood Park.

“As such, the support for a 50m swimming pool and the concerns about a loss of greenspace were factored in.

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“If we’re taking an overall view of planning for the future of any provision across Eastwood we should take into consideration any additional sites that may become available,” he added.

SNP councillor Caroline Bamforth added: “We may not be grandstanding about it, but it doesn’t mean we’re not listening.

“I think this issue has been hijacked by local and national elected members.

“They don’t care about the unnecessary distress they’re giving to residents.”

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And East Renfrewshire Council has yet again stressed that no decision has been made – or ever has been – on the leisure centre’s future location.

An East Renfrewshire Council spokesman said: “No decision has been made on a potential site for a new leisure centre within the Eastwood area.

“Councillors agreed on October 31 to a new study being carried out to look at the feasibility. Once this work has been completed, a further report will be considered by councillors.

“Since the previous consultant’s report was carried out, a number of factors relating to Eastwood Park have changed, therefore a further analysis and options for the potential for a new build leisure centre on the park is being undertaken at this stage.”