Historic Haggerston Baths building to be transformed into offices and community space after councillors approve sweeping renovation

A former swimming pool building that sank into such “poor condition” that it was added to a heritage-at-risk register will be transformed into offices, a cafe and community space.

The pool hall at Haggerston Baths, built in 1904, will be converted into an area for private and community events, along with a public gym. There will also be work space and conference facilities.

When the baths opened, the Hackney and Kingsland Gazette welcomed them “not as a luxury, but as an absolute necessity”, as many homes did not have their own bath. The venue had 60 baths for people to wash alongside the swimming pool.

The vice-chair of the baths committee, Alderman E J Wakeling, was said to have swum a length underwater at the opening ceremony.

The council-owned baths closed down in 2000 and campaigners fought to retain the swimming pool. Hackney Council discussed options with a developer but was unable to come up with an option giving the public enough access to the baths.

Both a 1950s extension that was used as a public laundry and part of the 1904 development will be knocked down and replaced with extensions up to six storeys tall.

The former pool has been painted in graffiti and the Victorian Society said the complex designed by AWS Cross has suffered “creeping dilapidation”.

It was originally “built to impress” by the then Shoreditch Borough Council, “with a front fit for a palace”, the society’s experts said.

Hackney Council selected developer Castleforge after a public consultation and competitive bidding process in 2017.

Historic England said the building is in a “state of disrepair”. It costs the Town Hall £100,000 a year for security and maintenance of the empty building.

The developers said: “Our proposal is for a mixed-use scheme, which both respects and enhances this much-valued site.

“Our intention is to redevelop this historically significant local landmark to make it once again an important centre of activity and a vibrant part of Haggerston’s future.”

Sixteen objectors told the council’s planning department they had concerns about the plan.

They said the new six-storey extension would harm their enjoyment of the historic baths building and pointed out that, as many of them are now working from home, they would suffer from a loss of sunlight.

A spokesman for buildings opposite the baths told the planning committee: “Residents are concerned that the top two floors of office space exponentially affects their quality of life.”

He said tests showed it would affect the light for some of them.

The council’s planning officer Nick Bovaird said: “We find it acceptable and not untypical in an inner London location.”

He added that because the building is in a poor condition, it is possible that if nothing was done there would not be a listed building to enjoy.

The developers needed the sixth floor to make the plan viable as they could charge premium rent there, the committee was told.

The council’s conservation officer Tim Walder explained that one of the buildings that will be demolished is “in a very poor condition indeed”. Boilers from the basement will be rescued and displayed in the foyer, he said.

Oliver Vickerage, the scheme’s development manager, said the public would be able to use a community workshop space in the basement and the ground floor of the pool and deck area with “free access”.

The scheme was unanimously approved.