Council chiefs and residents met with the developers behind a £36million regeneration project to find out more about their proposals to bring new leisure facilities and 100 new homes to Tower Hamlets.

Detailed planning applications are being drawn up by Guildmore Ltd, which wants to turn the former Poplar Baths, opposite Chrisp Street Market, into a leisure centre and build 60 council homes on the site.

It also has plans to demolish the Dame Colet House tower block in Stepney to build 40 new homes and wants to tear down the Haileybury Youth Centre, which sits next to the former estate, in order to build a new “state-of-the art” facility for young people.

Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, joined councillors and Engin Ertosun, the managing director of Guildmore Ltd, to discuss how the plans are progressing.

Brenda Daley, chairwoman of the Ocean Tenants and Residents’ Association, was also invited to the meeting at the site in Stepney on March 13.

She said: “The local area is undergoing a major transformation.

“I look forward to seeing the plans for this site, and Poplar Baths, take shape in the coming month as they will boost both areas for generations to come.”

Earlier this month, the council entered a development agreement with Guildmore, marking the first phase of the project and enabling detailed planning applications for the schemes at both sites to be drawn up and submitted for consideration.

The mayor said: “Bringing the redevelopment of Poplar Baths and Dame Colet House under the same contract will help us ensure value for money and a better return on our investment for residents.”

The development agreement marked the first stage of the project. The second stage, known as the “financial close”, is expected to take place pending planning permission for both sites, before demolition and construction can start.