Lewisham Council shortlists bidders to save Ladywell Playtower

The council has announced it is moving into the next stage of the process as it draws closer to selecting a partner to secure the future of the Playtower, located in Ladywell Road.

It confirmed that four organisations have been shortlisted — Hackitt CIC, Liquid Listening, RUSS (Rural Urban Synthesis Society) and Turner Works — following an expression of interest process.

Originally named Ladywell Baths, the Ladywell Playtower dates back to 1884, when it first opened as a public bath house serving the rapidly growing local population.

Built in a distinctive Venetian Gothic style, the historic building initially housed swimming pools and washing facilities at a time when most homes did not have indoor bathrooms.

The council received more than 500 responses from residents through a public online survey, with community feedback helping to shape potential ideas for the future of the building.

It said full details of each proposal will be released at a later date, as the project moves into a more detailed stage of bidding, with shortlisted organisations required to submit comprehensive plans.

Following this, the council will open a consultation over the summer, giving the public the opportunity to review ideas and provide feedback.

This follows previous plans to restore the historic building, which were unsuccessful after a scheme was approved in 2022 to transform the site into a cinema and housing.

However, the project stalled after the developer said it could no longer afford to proceed due to rising costs and funding challenges.

The Playtower has been vacant for more than two decades, having closed as a community centre in 2004.

Since then, a lack of progress on redevelopment has left the site in a poor state of repair, with the building currently listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register following a fire in 2006.