Tower Hamlets councillors have approved plans to demolish the home of Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club, a century-old community gym, to make way for a library and 44 homes. The club can remain at the Turin Street site until June 2027 and will not have to leave until a suitable alternative location is found, the council has said.
The proposals, passed on 5 November, involve rebuilding the council-owned Professional Development Centre in east London, where the club has been based since 1948. Of the 44 new homes, 24 will be for social rent.
The Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club was founded in 1926 and registered as a charity, run by volunteers. Speaking at the meeting, club representative Eleanor Smith told councillors they had the chance to protect a “100-year treasure of this borough”. She said that if the club lost its home, a “makeshift solution” would “quietly end us”. She said members include schoolchildren, people in their 70s, disabled athletes including Paralympic medallists, ex-servicemen and women “rebuilding their lives”, young women recovering from eating disorders, and people with depression who have found “a coach-supported place to heal”.
Councillors said that policies protecting sports facilities meant the council would have to find an “equivalent or better” replacement. Planning officers said that “securing an alternative location for the weightlifting club is therefore fundamental to ensuring that the scheme is acceptable”. Officers added that the council and the club had not yet agreed on a new location but that “discussions are ongoing”. A legal planning agreement would ensure the building could not be demolished “unless and until suitable alternative accommodation has been made available”.
A Tower Hamlets Council spokesperson said the council was in discussions with the club about relocating to Tent Street, near Bethnal Green Station, and was negotiating the details. “We have granted them an extension to remain at the current site until June 2027 and will extend further if the new facility is not ready,” the spokesperson said. “We value the club and recognise its importance to the local community and will continue to work with them.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The club is a century-old charitable institution and a rare community asset in a rapidly redeveloping part of east London.
- Its loss would affect vulnerable groups including disabled athletes, veterans, people with eating disorders and those with depression who rely on its coach-supported environment.
- The decision tests how the council balances housing and library needs against commitments to protect sports and community facilities.
Background
Tower Hamlets Council is controlled by the Aspire Party, led by executive mayor Lutfur Rahman. The council's redevelopment plan for the Professional Development Centre aims to deliver a library and 44 homes, with more than half designated for social rent. The weightlifting club has operated at the site since 1948 and occupies the gym at the Turin Street and Bethnal Green Road premises.
Key Perspectives
Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club (Eleanor Smith): Called the club a "100-year treasure of this borough" and warned that without a long-term home a "makeshift solution" would "quietly end us".
Tower Hamlets Council (spokesperson): Said it values the club and recognises its importance, is negotiating a move to Tent Street, and will extend the club's stay beyond June 2027 if a new facility is not ready.
What to Watch
- Whether the council and club finalise a lease for the Tent Street site and when work begins on a new facility.
- Whether the legal agreement's requirement for suitable alternative accommodation before demolition is triggered.
- Whether the club secures the long-term base it says it needs to survive.