Leisure Centres and Swimming Pools: Public Sector
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what information she holds on the number of publicly-owned swimming pools and leisure centres by year from 2015 to 2025/26.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring public access to swimming and leisure facilities.
Sport England, our Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, monitors facilities stock through their Active Places dataset. As of March 2026, there are 4,070 operational swimming pools for public access, with 1,669 owned by a Local Authority.
As of December 2025, there were 804 operational sports halls owned by Local Authorities.
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