Key Points
- Community Sauna CIC is applying for planning permission to construct a new dry heated sauna cabin in East London.
- The site selected is The Castle, a Grade II* listed building in East London that was built during the Victorian era.
- The historic building is currently serving as an indoor climbing center.
- It is an expansion of the services offered by Community Sauna CIC as it has an existing sauna center in Hackney Bath House.
- This depends on the approval of the local council planning consent for the historical site’s grounds.
Stoke Newington (East London Times) September 5, 2026 – A new community sauna facility has been proposed for East London following a formal planning application to install a dry heated cabin within the grounds of a prominent local landmark. Non-profit organisation Community Sauna CIC is seeking official permission from Hackney Council to erect the structure directly adjacent to the existing indoor climbing facility at the Stoke Newington Pumping Station.
Will Hackney Council Approve The New Sauna Cabin At The Historic Pumping Station?
The proposal centres on expanding wellness infrastructure in the London Borough of Hackney by introducing a public sauna cabin to the grounds of the Victorian-era Stoke Newington Pumping Station. Renowned for its distinctive medieval-style architecture, the Grade II* listed landmark is widely referred to by residents as ‘The Castle’. The facility currently serves the community as an indoor climbing venue, and the installation of the sauna would add a complementary wellness offering to the site.
Under the submitted plans, Community Sauna CIC aims to construct a dry heated cabin within the grounds surrounding the main building. The non-profit organisation already operates a site at the Hackney Bath House, and this proposal represents a strategic expansion of its affordable, community-orientated thermal bath offerings within the borough.
Because the Stoke Newington Pumping Station holds Grade II* listed status—a designation reserved for particularly important buildings of more than special interest—the local planning authority must evaluate the proposal to ensure the temporary or permanent structure does not adversely affect the character, setting, or structural integrity of the historic site.
What Is The Background Of This Particular Development?
The Stoke Newington Pumping Station was designed by engineer William Chadwell Mylne and constructed between 1854 and 1856 for the New River Company. Built during the Victorian era to pump clean water to London’s growing population, the building was designed in a dramatic Scottish Baronial style complete with turrets, buttresses, and crenellations, earning it its local nickname, ‘The Castle’.
After falling out of operational use as a water pumping facility in the late 20th century, the building was saved from decay and converted into an indoor climbing venue, opening in 1995 as the Castle Climbing Centre. Over the past three decades, it has operated as one of the premier climbing facilities in the UK while maintaining strict heritage protections over its historic architectural features.
Community Sauna CIC emerged in East London as part of a wider movement advocating for accessible, public, and non-profit thermal bathhouses. Designed to promote physical recovery, mental well-being, and social connection, the organisation offers low-cost sauna access. Its existing venue at the Hackney Bath House established a operational model in the borough, prompting the organisation to seek additional locations such as the Castle grounds to meet growing public demand for community-led wellness spaces.
How Will This Development Affect Local Residents And Visitors?
If approved by Hackney Council, the installation of the new sauna cabin will directly affect several key groups across the local community:
- Local Residents and Thermal Bath Enthusiasts: Residents in Stoke Newington and the wider Hackney area will gain increased access to affordable, public wellness facilities, reducing overcrowding at the Hackney Bath House location.
- Climbers and Sports Facility Users: Visitors to the Castle Climbing Centre will benefit from integrated post-exercise recovery facilities directly on-site, combining active recreation with heat therapy in a single venue.
- Heritage and Conservation Groups: Local heritage advocates will monitor the installation closely to ensure the structure remains sensitive to the Grade II* listed status and preserves the historical visual aesthetics of the Victorian building’s grounds.
