The people of Romford will get a new ice rink, swimming pool and health club as a result of a joint public/private initiative.

The London Borough of Havering will work in partnership with Orion Land and Leisure and urban property developer First Base on the regeneration project on the Rom Valley Way in Romford.

The leisure elements of the scheme are scheduled to open in 2010-11, subject to planning, and will have a value of £30m. They will include a new Olympic-sized ice rink – a new base for local ice hockey team the Romford Raiders a competition-standard 25m, eight lane pool and learner pool.

Additonal facilities will include a 100-station gym, a children’s gym, dance studio and spa and beauty facilities.

The existing Romford Ice Rink will be demolished to make way for the new development.

Havering Council leader Michael White told Leisure Opportunities “The new facilities may be used for training for the Olympics. The new pool will encourage swimmers and going some way to helping produce a local Olympic champion,” Cllr White is also confident about competing with nearby private health clubs such as Fitness First, Esporta and Next Generation, believing not everyone can afford them.

First Base will design and build up to 500 carbon-reducing residential units, including a percentage of affordable housing to help fund the project. Work is expected to begin on site in May 2009.

• Havering Council won two BURA (British Urban Regeneration Association) Best Practice in Regeneration Awards in 2007. The first for its work on Romford Revival – a regeneration masterplan and the second - the Partnerships in Regeneration Award for cross-sector partnership work which has secured over £400m of private investment for the area.