Key Points
- Merton Council has announced plans for a new four-court sports hall to be built at Morden Leisure Centre in response to rapidly rising demand for sports and recreation facilities in the borough.
- The council reports that the number of people joining sports clubs in Merton has doubled since 2019, while the number of available playing spaces has not increased at the same rate.
- A Sport England-approved consultancy, Continuum Sport & Leisure, carried out a comprehensive borough-wide assessment that identified the urgent need for additional facilities.
- The survey found that the number of sports clubs in Merton has more than doubled since the previous assessment in 2019, highlighting substantial growth in community participation.
- Despite this growth, the assessment found a shortfall in playing pitches and indoor space, with particular shortages across cricket, rugby, hockey and football provision.
- It has been seven years since a new playing pitch was built in the borough, contributing to pressure on existing grounds and limiting opportunities for new teams and expanded programmes.
- Most of Merton’s indoor sports halls are currently located in schools, which restricts access for the wider public because of timetabling, safeguarding and curriculum pressures.
- The proposed Morden sports hall is one of several measures being brought forward as part of Merton Council’s ambition to become London’s first-ever “Borough of Sport”.
- The Labour-run council says the planned investment is possible due to its financial stability and the availability of external funding streams to support capital projects.
- A new long-term Playing Pitch Strategy 2026–2038 is due to go before the council’s cabinet on Monday, 19 January, mapping supply, usage and accessibility of outdoor and indoor sports facilities.
- The strategy will cover facilities for cricket, football, hockey and rugby, as well as indoor sports hall provision, guiding decisions on investment, upgrades and potential new sites over the next 12 years.
- The new sports hall at Morden Leisure Centre is intended to ease pressure on existing school-based halls, widen community access and support both grassroots sport and more advanced training.
- Merton Council links the project to wider health, wellbeing and community cohesion goals, arguing that better facilities will encourage more residents to be active more often.
- The authority is positioning the plan as a response to changing demand patterns, where traditional pitch sports and indoor activities are all competing for limited space.
- The schemes within the Playing Pitch Strategy are expected to be phased, with priorities guided by evidence of need, feasibility, funding availability and partnership opportunities with schools and clubs.
Morden (MyLondon) January 14, 2026 – Merton Council is set to build a new four-court sports hall at Morden Leisure Centre in a bid to tackle a growing shortage of sports facilities, after a major survey found that demand for venues across the borough has surged while supply has lagged behind since 2019.
Why is Merton building a new sports hall now?
As reported by the unnamed reporter of MyLondon, Merton Council’s decision to approve a new sports hall follows a borough-wide study that revealed the number of sports clubs in Merton has more than doubled since the last assessment in 2019. According to the same MyLondon report, this rapid increase in organised sport has not been matched by a similar rise in available pitches and indoor courts, leaving many clubs competing for limited space.
The council says the new four-court facility at Morden Leisure Centre is a central plank in its ambition to become London’s first-ever Borough of Sport, a branding and policy push designed to put physical activity “at the heart” of local life. As reported by MyLondon, the authority argues that expanding capacity now will help it accommodate existing demand and prepare for further growth in club membership and casual participation over the coming decade.
What did the Sport England-backed survey reveal?
As reported by MyLondon, the need for additional facilities was formally identified by Continuum Sport & Leisure, a consultancy approved by Sport England that carried out a detailed assessment of current provision. The consultancy’s borough-wide survey mapped how many sports clubs are operating, which sports they cater for, and what facilities they use, comparing this picture with the last assessment carried out in 2019.
According to the findings reported by MyLondon, the number of sports clubs in Merton has more than doubled in that period, underlining the growing appetite for organised sport among residents. However, the same assessment concluded that the supply of playing pitches and suitable indoor halls has failed to keep pace, particularly affecting cricket, rugby, hockey and football, where clubs are struggling to secure regular training and match slots.
How severe is the shortage of pitches and indoor facilities?
As reported by MyLondon, Merton has not built a new playing pitch for seven years, meaning the stock of outdoor facilities has been essentially static despite the sharp growth in club numbers. The report notes that, in several sports, existing pitches are at or near full capacity at peak times, which can result in fixture congestion, late kick-off times or clubs being pushed to use facilities outside the borough.
The coverage in MyLondon further explains that most of the borough’s indoor sports halls are located within schools, where they are primarily used for curricular and extracurricular activities rather than general public bookings. This arrangement restricts community access to off-peak times and can limit opportunities for adult leagues, disability sport sessions and open community programmes that need regular, guaranteed slots.
How will the new sports hall at Morden Leisure Centre help?
According to MyLondon’s reporting, the planned four-court sports hall at Morden Leisure Centre is designed to relieve some of this pressure by providing a modern, purpose-built indoor venue that is managed as part of the borough’s public leisure offer. As reported in the same article, by attaching the hall to an existing leisure complex, the council aims to create a multipurpose hub for indoor and outdoor activity, with shared services, changing facilities and booking systems.
The MyLondon piece states that the new hall will be suitable for a range of team and individual sports, providing more flexible space for training, matches, tournaments and community sessions. The council is also presenting the project as a way to support both grassroots sport and performance pathways, creating more opportunities for young people and adults to progress from casual participation into more competitive structures if they wish.
How is Merton funding the project and what is the political context?
As reported by MyLondon, the council — which is run by the Labour Party — says that the investment in the new sports hall and related facilities has been made possible because of its financial stability. The article notes that the authority also expects to draw on external funding, which could include contributions from national bodies, grants and potential partnerships, although specific funding packages are not detailed in the report.
The MyLondon coverage explains that the administration is linking the project directly to its Borough of Sport ambition, framing it as a visible example of how it plans to use capital investment to improve residents’ quality of life. By emphasising financial prudence alongside targeted spending on sport, the council is seeking to present itself as both fiscally responsible and proactive in meeting local demand.
What is the Playing Pitch Strategy 2026–2038 and what will it cover?
As reported by MyLondon, in response to the changing pattern of demand identified by Continuum Sport & Leisure, Merton Council is due to approve a new Playing Pitch Strategy covering the years 2026 to 2038 at a cabinet meeting on Monday, 19 January. The strategy document is described as mapping the supply, use and accessibility of facilities for outdoor sports such as cricket, football, hockey and rugby, alongside indoor provision, across the borough.
According to the MyLondon article, the strategy is intended to provide a long-term framework for decisions on how to maintain, upgrade and expand sports facilities, ensuring that investment is targeted where it will have the greatest impact. It is expected to set out priorities for different neighbourhoods and sports, reflecting both current shortfalls and projected population changes over the 12-year period.
How will the strategy affect local clubs and communities?
As reported by MyLondon, the Playing Pitch Strategy is expected to guide how the council works with local clubs, schools and national governing bodies of sport to align facility investment with participation programmes. This could include identifying where additional or reconfigured pitches would allow more junior and women’s teams to form, as well as where refurbished changing rooms or lighting upgrades might extend usable hours.
The article explains that the strategy will also consider accessibility, including how easy it is for residents to reach facilities by public transport, on foot or by bicycle, and whether existing venues adequately serve all age groups and demographics. In doing so, the council aims to ensure that the benefits of new and improved sports infrastructure are distributed fairly across Merton’s diverse communities, rather than being concentrated in a small number of locations.
What does the Borough of Sport ambition mean in practice?
According to MyLondon’s reporting, Merton Council’s ambition to become London’s first Borough of Sport is more than a branding exercise; it is tied to a programme of policy, planning and investment decisions aimed at embedding sport and physical activity into everyday life. The new Morden sports hall is presented in the article as one of several measures that will underpin this ambition, complementing work on pitches, parks, outreach programmes and partnerships with schools and clubs.
The coverage suggests that the Borough of Sport concept is also being framed in terms of public health and wellbeing, with the council arguing that improved facilities can help tackle inactivity, loneliness and health inequalities. By creating more opportunities for residents to join clubs, attend classes or simply book casual sessions, the council hopes to increase participation rates and strengthen community ties.
What are the next steps and when will decisions be taken?
As reported by MyLondon, the immediate next step is the cabinet meeting on Monday, 19 January, at which councillors are due to approve the Playing Pitch Strategy 2026–2038. That decision will effectively set the strategic framework within which the Morden sports hall and other projects will be delivered, though detailed timetables, designs and construction schedules are not set out in the article.
