Frequently Asked Questions

The Leisure Centre will not remain open during the works, but a dispersion plan will be available for existing users to find alternative locations whilst the Leisure centre and its facilities are closed temporarily.

We will try to keep 2 of the 4 pitches open at all times throughout the construction programme, so that activities can continue.

The project will likely be divided into an East site and a West site, and the council is exploring phased delivery options. For example, the Radnor Street Gardens play provision, the squash building, or certain public space landscaping might be delivered earlier, and it may be possible to keep two of the four football pitches open throughout.

Yes, several structures will be demolished, including the ex-Kings Square Nursery building, the Toffee Park building, the existing Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), and interior non-structural elements of the FLC. The existing football pitch surfaces and substrates will also be removed to make way for new 3G pitches. More on Football pitches in “Why might one or two of the 5/6-a-side football pitches be made smaller?” FAQ below.

While the FLC football pitches are very popular, Pitches 1 and 2 are currently larger than Pitches 3 and 4. The council is considering an option to slightly reduce the size of the larger pitches to make them all equal. The core reason for this proposed change is to increase the amount of publicly accessible green recreation space, addressing a significant public health need in the Bunhill ward, which currently has the lowest access to green space in the borough. 

The City Road Medical Centre is operating out of a constrained, landlocked building with no room to expand. Subject to planning, building a bespoke, purpose-built facility on the East site (the ex-nursery site) is the preferred option because it provides the necessary space without compromising existing leisure facilities.

The Family Hub proposal is replaced with the new state of the art Medical Centre. Some of the services that were intended for the Family Hub will be provided in the new improved Finsbury Leisure Centre. 

The current MUGA next to Toffee Park will be demolished so that the space can be used to improve and remodel the west end of Radnor Street Gardens. A new, larger MUGA finished to a higher standard will be built near the sport pitches and squash courts, defining the total wellbeing campus into an area for activity (West), and an area for health (East). 

There will be a play provision at Radnor Street Gardens, though we are still working out what type of facility we can commit to, dependent on cost, planning policy and community preference. Please use our survey to let us know which of the options you’d prefer and help us make the right choice. 

Unfortunately, some trees will need to be removed. Constructing the new MUGA on the ex-nursery site will require the removal of three trees. The council aims to mitigate this by finding alternative locations to plant new trees on the West site or potentially converting parking bays on Central Street into tree planting areas. Additionally, some mature trees outside the FLC are currently diseased and may need to be felled for health and safety reasons. Some of the trees in the ex-Toffee Park Adventure Playground will need thinned as they have not been managed and are overcrowded. Tree mitigation (replanting) will take place in other locations on site or very nearby off site e.g. parking bays.

The council would like to increase the amount of well-designed public green space in support of the proposed improved amenities. The council would like the improved public green space to be attractive to the whole community as a place to go to and not simply as a routeway.

The FLC will undergo a major refurbishment. Users can expect a better ground floor disability amenity, a new sprung wood floor in the sports hall, enhanced flexible studios, an improved main entrance, and a completely reconfigured basement with better accessible, group, and family changing facilities. 

The project will include numerous environmentally friendly features such as, biodiversity net gain, increased urban greening factor, surface water drainage systems, BREEAM excellent Medical Centre and improved Leisure Centre building performance. The medical centre will also connect to the Bunhill Energy Centre. 

Yes, the Bunhill Energy Centre will stay the same and keep serving the local community. The project medical centre will also connect to the Bunhill Energy Centre for it’s heat supply. 

Yes, the project aims to integrate more social service activities into the FLC. For instance, the first-floor spaces may be used for "play and stay" children's sessions and parent/guardian training, bringing essential family support services directly into the facility.

The council has a communications and engagement strategy that involves public consultation events, online sessions, flyers, and questionnaires during the design stages to ensure local residents and facility users can review the plans and provide feedback.