Sevenoaks District Council has chosen construction firm Wates Group as its preferred partner for a £138 million scheme to replace the ageing leisure centre and redevelop land east of the High Street, but the project still needs funding sign-off and planning permission before a single brick is laid.

Residents of Sevenoaks town could see a new leisure centre, up to 264 new homes and a cultural hub on the High Street built on land around Buckhurst Lane and Suffolk Way — if the council clears two more major hurdles. Sevenoaks District Council’s Cabinet agreed on 16 June 2026 to appoint Wates Group as preferred development partner for the Land East of Sevenoaks High Street regeneration, following a competitive tender process under the Procurement Act 2023. The council says the whole scheme is designed to pay for itself, with income from the new homes cross-subsidising the leisure centre and public improvements — because no major government grant is available for the work.

Wates beat two other shortlisted firms — Ballymore and Cityheart — scoring 72.12% in the tender evaluation and putting forward the strongest financial proposal, with an identified funding gap of £6.4 million. That gap, and how the council plans to fill it, will be central to a full Council meeting on 14 July 2026, where members will vote on whether to approve project funding.

What the scheme would include

The plans go well beyond a new swimming pool. As currently set out, the scheme would deliver:

    • A new, energy-efficient leisure centre close to Sevenoaks High Street, replacing the existing facility
    • 264 new homes built to Passivhaus standard — a building method that markedly cuts heating bills — with undercroft and basement car parking
    • A cultural hub and market hall at 96 High Street, intended to bring together library, museum, art gallery and adult education services
    • A green pedestrian corridor linking the High Street to Knole Park, along with new public green spaces
    • Improved public transport connections and wider changes to walking and cycling routes

The council estimates the project would create 263 jobs during construction and 89 permanent full-time jobs once complete, generating about £8 million a year in local goods and services.

Why the council says it’s the right call

The existing Sevenoaks leisure centre is ageing, and the council argues that replacing it piecemeal would cost more and deliver less. By bundling the leisure centre rebuild with housing and cultural improvements into one scheme, it says it can deliver substantial public benefits without drawing on central government money. The Passivhaus homes are also intended to offer lower running costs — a selling point for buyers and renters — while new green spaces and the Knole Park corridor are framed as improvements for the whole town.

According to Sevenoaks District Council, the project represents a “once in a generation” chance to reshape the town centre in a coordinated way rather than through a series of smaller, disconnected interventions.

The concerns residents and critics are likely to raise

Not everyone will welcome a scheme of this scale. Questions about the height and density of new buildings — and their effect on Sevenoaks town centre’s character and views towards Knole Park — are expected to surface when formal consultation begins. Heritage and environmental groups may also scrutinise the impact on Knole Park’s setting and local biodiversity.

The self-financing model carries risk. If house prices fall or sales slow, the income that’s supposed to fund the leisure centre and public spaces could come up short. The £6.4 million funding gap already identified in Wates’ proposal will need a clear answer at the July council meeting. And the precise number of affordable or social-rented homes within the 264 units hasn’t been confirmed yet — a detail that will matter to residents on housing waiting lists.

Practical disruption is another concern. Construction around Buckhurst Lane and Suffolk Way car parks could affect parking and traffic for years, and existing leisure centre users face uncertainty about access during any building phase.

Timeline and next steps

Early designs will be drawn up by Wates in collaboration with the council, with public consultation planned before any planning application goes in. That application is currently targeted for late 2027, with construction potentially starting in 2028 — subject to both funding approval and planning consent. The council spent £435,000 on feasibility and preparatory work after a budget was approved on 25 July 2024, so this is not a scheme being rushed through.

The funding vote on 14 July 2026 is the next decision that could stop or advance the project.

Key information

  • Funding decision: Sevenoaks District Council meets on 14 July 2026 to vote on project funding — this is the next formal milestone
  • Public consultation: Planned after early designs are prepared by Wates; residents in Sevenoaks Town & St John’s, Sevenoaks Kippington and surrounding areas will be able to comment before any planning application is submitted
  • Planning application: Targeted for late 2027 — formal objections and representations can be made at that stage
  • Construction start: Earliest 2028, subject to funding approval and planning consent