Riverside Club Reveals Rebuilding Plans

As do their Civil Service Sports Ground neighbours

Chiswick’s Area Committee meeting this week considered plans to rebuild the Esporta Riverside Club that was destroyed by fire earlier this year.  Councillors welcomed the reinstatement of club calling it “a valuable resource for local people” but expressed concern at the speed at which the previous building had burnt down and sought reassurances that the new build would comply with all current fire regulations.  The devastating fire in March 2006 destroyed the main building on the site as well as the indoor tennis hall and lower height flat roofed buildings.

The proposed development will rebuild the health and tennis club with associated facilities on similar albeit smaller scale as the former club.  The planning application proposes the erection of a new building to replace the destroyed indoor tennis hall and attached buildings to provide new facilities that will continue to be operated by Esporta.  The building will occupy a comparable, though smaller footprint to the destroyed buildings (a reduction of 186m2) and will replicate the distinctive repeated barrel shape of the destroyed tennis hall. 

The proposal also includes an outdoor terrace and an outdoor swimming pool similar to plans that were withdrawn in August 2005.

The CAC also heard details of an application to develop the Civil Service Sports Club situated on land adjacent to that of Esporta Riverside’s.  Whilst councillors were not against the principle of the development as long as the design was in keeping with the area, some did express concern that this was a very functional, uninspiring and rather ugly design. There was also some concern about the extension of car parking, although the committee was reassured that no green space would be lost to create the additional spaces and that high capacity use would only be expected for special events.

The application proposes the demolition of the existing Civil Service Sports Club pavilion and separate bowls club and their replacement with a new two-storey building to accommodate sports and associated health and leisure facilities including changing rooms, fitness studios, a gymnasium, function room, food and beverage facilities, swimming pool and health and beauty treatment rooms. The existing playing fields and access to the site will be unchanged.

The playing fields and associated club facilities will remain for the use of members of the Civil Service. The other complementary health and leisure facilities will be made available to members of the Civil Service at a discounted fee as well as private members.

Councillors discussed how both applications could contribute the work of Friends of Dukes Meadows who recently opened the refurbished 1920’s outdoor paddling pools.

October 6, 2006