A community sauna could replace the former boathouse at Highams Park Lake, reports Marco Marcelline
A community sauna may replace the demolished former boathouse in Highams Park.
The news comes after the City of London Corporation, which owns Highams Park Lake and the surrounding land, invited organisations to put forward proposals for leasing the site for community uses back in March.
Community Sauna Baths CIC presented their vision for the site at the annual general meeting of the Highams Park Planning Group (HPPG) on 8th October and have launched an online consultation to gather feedback on the proposals.
The former boathouse was destroyed in a fire in the early hours of 24th September, 2025. Six fire engines and around 30 firefighters attended the incident, which was brought under control later that morning.
The two-storey building, which had stood on the lakeside since the 1970s, was demolished in February this year.
Before the fire, the building had a long history of community use. It featured on Blue Peter in the late 1970s and was used by local Scout groups from around 1981, supporting boating and outdoor activities on the lake for decades.
Following its demolition, the future of the site was uncertain. As reported by the Echo earlier this year, The City of London Corporation previously indicated that it was considering landscaping and reprofiling the land to create a more open approach to the lake.
However, the launch of the tender process in March opened the door to alternative community-focused uses, culminating in the selection of the sauna proposal.
Community Sauna Baths already operate several sites across London, including facilities in Blackhorse Road.
Their Walthamstow sauna, which opened in September 2025 on Sutherland Road, transformed a former car park into a community-focused outdoor bathing space.
The site includes several different sauna experiences, six cold plunge pools and a community garden.
Residents can share their views through the online consultation
Read more: Residents ponder future of demolished Highams Park boathouse (March 2026)
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