'Landmark' gasholder may host wild swimming pond

10 hours ago

James W KellyLondon

News image — The Victorian gasholder off Old Kent Road is was given listed status in 2017

Getty Images Exterior view of the grade II listed gasholder rising above trees and metal fencing in south London, with its tall iron lattice structure visible against a blue sky. — The Victorian gasholder off Old Kent Road is was given listed status in 2017

A grade II listed gasholder in south London could host a wild swimming pond, Southwark Council has revealed.

The new park, to be named after the gasworks founder George Livesey, in the area surrounding Gasholder No. 13 is part of wider regeneration works along the Old Kent Road.

If given the green light, a swimming pond would form half of the installation with the other being a pond with reed beds which would provide natural water filtration.

Council documents said the facility would be "a unique health offer, with nothing similar in London, the UK or Europe".

The plan was unveiled at a Southwark Council committee meeting earlier this month.

Southwark Council Artist’s impression showing a proposed park around the gasholder, with a circular wild swimming pond and surrounding green space, paths and new buildings along the Old Kent Road. — Southwark councillors heard it was "early days" in the development of the swimming pond plans

A council officer told the meeting that the council owns most of the land at the former gasworks while the gasholder itself is owned by gas distribution company SGN Networks.

"What we're proposing is to convert that into an open outdoor wild swimming provision. It would be cold water swimming," the officer said.

"The idea is it would be filtered naturally through reed beds, so nice and bio-diverse.

"It would be unique, not just in London, but anywhere. There isn't a historic gasholder with a swimming pool in it."

Southwark Council Artist’s impression showing the interior of the historic gasholder transformed into a public park, with a circular pond at its centre, people walking along paths, trees and green space, and new housing visible around the site. — Work on the gasholder site would at least in part be funded by developers under the proposal

He said it was still "early days" for the proposal and the council is "scoping out the business case and the cost".

Works on the "local landmark" could be partially funded by the development of 800 homes on land owned by SGN close to the gasholder, councillors heard.

Gasholder No.13, built in 1879-1881 by engineer Livesey, was listed as a grade II building by Historic England in 2017.

The council officer said the proposals would be "quite a nice fit with George Livesey", who was "quite the Victorian philanthropist" after building a nearby library, and hosting allotment and sport grounds on the gasworks.

Getty Images Steel framework of a disused circular gasholder seen from inside, with criss-crossing metal beams and open sky above, highlighting the scale and structure of the historic industrial site. — The proposal could see the centre of the historic gasholder become a "really unique" attraction

Helen Dennis, the council's cabinet member for new homes and sustainability, said: "We are determined for the Old Kent Road regeneration to deliver a greener and healthier neighbourhood, ensuring that development results in new and improved parks and community facilities."

She added that the proposal "would transform the area with such an exciting and unique offer", and praised the potential contribution from developers in making it happen.

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