Preparations continue for much anticipated new leisure centre to be built at Bransbury Park

The outdoor sports courts and play area have been closed since last month so that contractors can safely remove equipment, set up their site compound and prepare the area before construction begins in early spring.

The new leisure centre will feature a swimming pool and will be built on the courts behind the existing Eastney Community Centre, and will also include a new GP surgery for the Lighthouse Practice which will move from Devonshire Avenue,

A new children’s play park and being created and the popular miniature railway also retained. There will also be a new AstroTurf pitch and multi-use sports court as well as a new outdoor changing room.

Some trees have also been removed from the site or pruned, however the council has said that 50 new trees will be planted around the site as part of the project.

Portsmouth City Council has said that the preparation period is essential for safety and to avoid delays or extra costs, with the courts and playground being closed for the shortest amount of time. The new leisure centre is expected to be open in 2027, with netball facilities being moved to the Mountbatten Centre.

Work begins after permission for the scheme was granted last year despite a passionate campaign from some calling on the council to instead invest in the old Easteny Swimming Pool site which was closed during the covid pandemic.

However the council has said that Bransbury was a better site, and dismissed claims that Eastney would have been a cheaper option. Eastney Swimming Pool has since been demolished and the site earmarked for a new outdoor watersports hub.

For more details about the project visit Portsmouth’s City Council’s dedicated web page here.