East Renfrewshire Council has approved plans for a new £56 million leisure centre and theatre in Giffnock's Eastwood Park, replacing aging facilities. The project, scaled back due to rising costs, will include a swimming pool, games hall, fitness studios, and a theatre with a 364-seat auditorium. Construction is set to begin later this year, with completion expected in 2027. While the plans were approved, some concerns were raised regarding the building's aesthetics and potential traffic and parking issues during construction.
Plans to demolish a 40-year-old leisure center and theater and construct a £56 million replacement nearby have received approval from East Renfrewshire Council . The new center, located in Giffnock 's Eastwood Park , will feature an eight-lane, 25-meter swimming pool, a smaller 17-meter training pool, and a four-court games hall. Additional amenities will include fitness and spin studios, as well as a cafe.
The theater will boast a 364-seat auditorium, a smaller studio theater, dressing rooms, and bar and lounge areas. Construction of the complex is slated to commence later this year and is expected to open to the public in the second half of 2027. Previous plans were approved in 2022, but the council subsequently decided to scale down the project after rising inflation and volatile interest rates inflated the cost to approximately £67 million. Despite the approval, concerns were raised regarding the aesthetic appeal of the new building. Councillor Annette Ireland, an independent, expressed reservations about the 'finishing color of the building' not aligning with the 'woodland nature of the park and the local surroundings'. She deemed it 'not a good-looking building' and believed a previous application had presented a more visually appealing design.Further objections stemmed from parents at the nearby St Ninian's High School, who voiced concerns about 'inadequate' parking arrangements and 'unsafe' vehicle access. They cited the junction into the park from Rouken Glen Road as a 'notorious local bottleneck' and predicted a 'prolonged' negative impact on students during the construction phase. However, planners maintained that a modest increase in both traffic and parking demand could be accommodated within the existing infrastructure. The scheme received support from Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw, who emphasized that constructing the new center on land adjacent to the existing leisure center would prevent the utilization of a greenfield site. Following the approval, a council spokesperson stated, 'This is a significant milestone in our plans to replace facilities which are more than 40 years old and no longer fit for purpose. The council is committed to delivering a new leisure center and theater to provide much-improved amenities for local residents for generations to come.
Leisure Centre Theatre Construction Eastwood Park Giffnock East Renfrewshire Council
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