Lewisham Council has approved plans for the development of a new leisure and fitness centre on Dartmouth Road, which will replace the existing Forest Hill Pools.

The Roberts Limbrick-designed facility, which will boast a 25m swimming pool and a 16.7m learner pool, is the fourth leisure development to be given the green light by the council in recent years and is due to be complete by late 2012. A fitness gym, two studios, a community room and a café also form part of the project, along with a "pocket park" to be landscaped around the complex and extended along Dartmouth Road to provide a public open space.

The development will see the existing Forest Hill Pools part-demolished, with an existing frontage refurbished to provide a main entrance and reception, as well as first-floor changing facilities. New-build elements will house most of the facilities, which will be accessible to disabled users. A contractor to deliver the new centre is due to be selected by the end of the year.

Lewisham Council cabinet member for community services Chris Best said: "It has been a real challenge trying to find a design that can accommodate the many different needs of the local community. "However, after a long and comprehensive period of consultation, combined with some serious thinking about the design and the cost, I think we have now achieved an excellent result."