There may be a case for the listing of Louise House. However, the consequence of listing is obviously to reduce the size of the site available for a leisure centre.

This means any centre on that site will be able to offer less activity, which in turn will mean firstly that it will be a less interesting and lively facility, less able to provide a diversity of services to all sectors of the local population, and, secondly, less likely to cover a reasonable proportion of its costs. This means a centre on the current pools will always be under review for both reason - both before and (if ever) after it is built.

Operating costs have not been much mentioned in this discussion - the Borough has not raised the issue, I have no doubt because they believe that the situation is complex enough already. For what it is worth, the Spa at Beckenham offers a very wide range of activities of interest to anyone from a three year old to someone in their 80s or 90s, from the keen and athletic to those trying to rebuild basic health. It does this while making a substantial surplus which is available for investment in other public services. I suspect that a small centre on the existing site in Forest Hill even without the listing would require some subsidy. With the Louise House site unavailable, I suspect that it will require substantial support.

The next decade is likely to be difficult for public finances, and in those circumstances, the above considerations put this project at risk.

It may be that the preservation of Louise House and the Pools frontage is so important to some that they will think this is a risk worth taking. They should not, however, assume that there are no consequences from the listing, and the retention of another old building on a site which is has been difficult from the start.