Woolwich Waves Leisure Centre
Morgan Sindall Construction has successfully delivered the £80 million Woolwich Waves Leisure Centre, one of the UK’s largest urban leisure facilities, located at the heart of Woolwich town centre. The project was procured through the Southern Construction Framework (SCF) and forms a central part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s broader regeneration strategy. The completed 12,800 m² development includes a wide range of state-of-the-art sports, wellbeing, and community facilities designed to support healthier lifestyles for residents of all ages.
Key Stats
- Demolition followed by construction of a new build three-storey 12,800 sqm leisure facility
- Construction of an Energy Centre which plans to heat the adjacent residential development currently under construction
- Connecting adjacent Tramshed community theatre into the leisure centre
- One of the largest leisure centres in the UK
At a Glance
Budget
£80m
Completion
November 2025
Location
Woolwich
Framework
Southern Construction Framework
Sector
Leisure
Sustainability
On track for BREEAM Outstanding rating
Overview
The new leisure centre is a key part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s ambitious regeneration plans for Woolwich. Our London team has worked closely with the Council to design and develop a centre that will provide the local community with opportunities to get more active, including people with disabilities and those with dementia.
The centre offers four swimming pools, a large sensory splash play area, a six‑court sports hall, an indoor five‑a‑side football pitch, a two‑level gym, dance and spinning studios, two squash courts, and a suite of accessible community spaces, including a café, crèche, party rooms, and soft play area. Two studios also connect to the neighbouring Tramshed theatre and community arts hub, enhancing the cultural and social value of the development.
The team collaborated with FaulknerBrowns Architects, Buro Happold Engineers, Arup fire consultants, and Max Fordham acoustics consultants, with client side consultants, Hadron Consulting, Gleeds, Van Zyl & de Villiers & DB3 in the delivery of this project.
Innovative design
Given the constrained nature of the urban site, the team adopted an innovative stacked design, placing the sports hall, gym, and cardio suites on the upper floors to maximise the footprint without compromising user experience. This configuration allowed the three‑storey building to house a broad mix of facilities while remaining efficient, accessible, and intuitive for visitors. Throughout the project, the team applied our Intelligent Solutions approach, incorporating advanced elements such as anti‑vibration steelwork to ensure high‑impact activities could take place alongside more sensitive spaces without disruption. These engineering decisions optimised performance, acoustics, and comfort, establishing a benchmark for complex leisure development in dense urban environments.
Sustainability
Sustainability has been prioritised from concept through to operation. Woolwich Waves features a planted green roof and one of the largest Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) arrays ever commissioned in the UK. The ASHP system supplies the building’s basement energy centre, delivering sustainable heating to the leisure centre and the neighbouring Tramshed venue. It is also designed to support just under 500 new homes currently under construction adjacent to the leisure centre, making the site a hub for community-scale renewable energy.
The development is on track to achieve a BREEAM Outstanding rating—positioning it to become only the second leisure centre in the UK to reach this sustainability milestone.
Social value impact
Social value was embedded throughout delivery. The project drew extensively on a local supply chain and created 31 new jobs, directly contributing to economic opportunity in the borough.
A dedicated Knowledge Quad – our in-house developed, multi-purpose training and learning facility - was established onsite to strengthen pathways between industry and education. Through this initiative, two Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) training programmes were delivered, resulting in 20 individuals earning CSCS cards, including 10 local Greenwich residents. This investment in skills development ensures the project’s impact extends far beyond the physical building, supporting long‑term employment and community capability.
The project team also delivered a 14-week accredited construction study programme supporting 16 to 18-year-old young people who are no longer in mainstream education, employment, or training. Held on-site, the programme offered valuable practical experience and education about the opportunities within the construction sector. As a result, the team has successfully placed 39 individuals on apprenticeship programmes.
The start of 2026 saw the moment thousands of residents had been waiting for as they were able to experience for the first time the leisure centre they helped to name. It's not just an exemplar leisure centre any city would be proud to have which is aiming for the highest sustainability measures – it's also what's come with it such as the refurbishment of Tramshed Theatre, as well as what's to come in the form of much-needed future new homes, shops, places to eat and public spaces.
Woolwich Waves is at forefront of improving the quality of life and health of our residents. As well as three pools, there’s a gym, five-a-side pitch, spa, squash courts and more. Plus plenty for families. Woolwich Waves is once again proof that we not only get things done in Greenwich, but we get things done to an incredibly high standard so that residents can enjoy them for generations to come.”
- Cllr Anthony Okereke, Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich
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