Portsmouth residents invited to shape new Eastney watersports hub to replace swimming pool
Portsmouth City Council is asking residents to share their views on plans for a new watersports hub at the eastern seafront, to replace the Eastney Swimming Pool.
With demolition of the historic pool confirmed, the council is now asking residents what they’d like to see in its place as part of a potential watersports hub.
The site has grown in popularity with kiteboarders and kitesurfers in recent years, hosting the Formula Kite European Championships in 2023. If built, the centre would cater to sports like kayaking, rowing, paddleboarding and kitesurfing, with features such as changing rooms, showers and secure storage all designed to blend with the “unique surrounding landscapes”.
Residents are being asked what other facilities they'd like to see, from cafés and creative studios to shops for watersports gear. The Council also wants feedback on green features and ways to support the local ecology.
The idea was first set out in the 2013 Seafront Masterplan and reaffirmed in 2021. Cllr Steve Pitt, leader of the council, said: “It has been an ambition of the Council to provide a facility like this for many years, so it’s great news that we can start to move forward on this project.
“We have a real opportunity to create something that enhances this very unique environment, so we need to make sure we get this right. This is why we are consulting early, so we can get a clear understanding of what sports should be provided for and what other facilities should be provided in any new centre.“
Views are also being sought on preserving the site’s wartime history, including possible access to a hidden World War II pillbox and integrating the existing anti-tank defences. Accessibility will be a key theme throughout.
The demolition of Eastney Swimming Pool, closed since 2020, could make way for the new centre. A replacement pool will open 800 metres away in Bransbury Park in 2027, as part of a new health and wellbeing hub.
The project is part of Portsmouth’s broader investment in sport, with £20m spent since 2017 and another £27m committed.
The survey is open until midnight on Friday, 9 May 2025 at research.net/r/Eastneywatersports_g. More information is available at portsmouth.gov.uk/eastneywatersports.