Published: Wednesday, 17th June 2026
The Council’s Cabinet has agreed to appoint Wates as its preferred contractor to take forward ambitious plans to regenerate the Land East of Sevenoaks High Street including a new leisure centre.
Working with Wates, the Council wants to enhance the Buckhurst Lane and Suffolk Way areas, helping to make the town an even more vibrant and welcoming place to live, work and spend time.
At the heart of the project will be a brand new, energy-efficient, modern leisure centre providing high quality facilities to safeguard and enhance the town’s leisure offer for decades to come. The leisure centre building is coming to the end of its life and will need to be replaced in the coming years.
The new leisure centre will support people of all ages and abilities to stay active, build social connections and lead healthier lives, providing a home to sports clubs and opportunities for children and adults to learn to swim and develop lifelong skills.
The project also includes a new cultural hub and market hall at 96 High Street, improved public transport links, new public green spaces, including a new green corridor to Knole Park, and new energy-efficient homes.
The value of the overall project is estimated to be around £138 million, and it is expected to be self-financing with income from the new homes paying for the leisure centre and the other public improvements. With no major Government grants available to rebuild the leisure centre, the new leisure complex needs to be entirely financed by the wider project.
The project would also give a huge economic boost to the town, increasing footfall and spending in the town. The value of goods and services associated with the new project is estimated to be close to £8 million a year.
During construction, 263 new jobs could be created. After completion, there could be 89 new full-time jobs associated with the project.
Taking all these elements together, they create a compelling proposition that has the potential to deliver long lasting economic, environmental and social benefits for residents and businesses alike.
In the coming months, Wates will produce early project designs for the public to have their say. Following these public consultation events, the designs will be updated and refined before submitting a planning application from late 2027. Subject to planning consent, construction could begin in 2028.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Improvement & Innovation, Cllr Michael Horwood, says: “We’re 100% committed to delivering a brand-new leisure centre for Sevenoaks, as we understand how vital sports and leisure are for the mental and physical health of our residents. As there is no Government funding that could achieve a rebuild, we need a scheme that will help deliver this very ambitious project.
“Wates has an impressive track record of delivering major, high-quality construction projects and working closely with local communities to shape places that people can truly be proud of.”
“We want residents and businesses at the heart of shaping these proposals and, over the coming months, Wates will be bringing forward plans alongside a series of engagement events, giving the community a real opportunity to influence the future of the scheme before planning permission is sought.”
For more information about the project, visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/landeast
Notes to editors
The Council’s Cabinet agreed to appoint Wates as its preferred contractor for the Land East of Sevenoaks High Street project at its meeting on Tuesday 16 June 2026.
The appointment of Wates is subject to funding approval. Council will consider project funding when it meets on 14 July 2026.
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