FC United of Manchester (FCUM) has moved closer to its planned new stadium in Moston after the club successfully raised more than £1.6m through a community share issue. In addition to the new Taylor Young -designed stadium, the £4.6m project will also feature the provision of community facilities such as a full-size artificial pitch and junior grass pitches. Manchester City Council has approved planning permission for the scheme and reaching

Edinburgh's Royal Commonwealth Pool, which will host the diving competition during the 2014 Commonwealth Games, has officially reopened following an £37m refurbishment. Leisure specialists S&P Architects are behind the design of the new-look complex, with the scheme involving the stripping back of the A-listed building's shell, before it was completely rebuilt. Graham Construction carried out the work on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, with facilities including a 50m,

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has opened a new Vivanta by Taj-branded spa resort in northern Kerala, India. The 25-acre (10-hectare) The Vivanta by Taj, Bekal resort is home to the Jiva Grande Spa, which is spread over 165,000sq ft (15,000sq m). Spa facilities include single and double treatment rooms; beauty treatment rooms; meditation and yoga pavilions; relaxation pools; and a large health and fitness club. All treatment rooms have

German ride manufacturer HUSS Park Attractions has begun construction work on a £3.5m observation tower in Weymouth, Dorset, UK. When completed later this year, the 53m (174ft)-tall tower will be operated by Merlin Entertainments and will provide panoramic, 360-degree views over the English channel and surrounding countryside. The structure will be built on the town's Festival Pier and will feature a rotating gondola of 12m in diameter, capable of accommodating

A new £4m art gallery housing the Jerwood Foundation's collection of 20th and 21st century works is to open its doors to the public in Hastings, East Sussex, tomorrow (17 March). The development of the Jerwood Gallery - designed by Colchester-based HAT Projects - is part of a wider £9m regeneration of the Stade, a historic area located in Hastings' old town. It is hoped the gallery will add Hastings

Damien Hirst, one of the UK's most prominent contemporary artists, has announced plans to open a new public gallery housing his personal collection in south London in 2014. The artist told the Observer newspaper that the Lambeth development would display highlights from his collection, which encompasses more than 2,000 art works. Hirst said the Caruso St John -designed attraction will transform a terrace of listed buildings and will be as

The Pods, a £21m leisure facility opened last summer in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, has been shortlisted for the public building of the year accolade at this year's Sustain Awards. Andrew Wright Associates were behind the concept design of the complex, which was taken forward by S&P Architects and comprised five timber and glazed geodesic dome structures. Facilities at The Pods include an 85-station, split-level fitness suite; an eight-lane swimming pool and

The relaunch of a 20m swimming pool and sports hall at Golden Lane Sport and Fitness in the City of London has marked the completion of an extensive £2.65m refurbishment. Cartwright Pickard Architects were behind the redesign of the Grade II-listed facility, which first opened in the 1960s and was originally designed by Chamberlain, Powell and Bon – the architects behind the Barbican complex. The 20m, four-lane swimming pool and

A 350m (1,148ft)-wide wooden pedestrian bridge linking Rotterdam's Central District with the Hofbogen is to be built in the Dutch city with contributions from members of the public. Rotterdam-based Zones Urbaines Sensibles (ZUS) are behind the design of the Luchtsingel scheme, which polled the most votes in the city's EUR4m (£3.3m, US$5.2m) Stadsinitiatief. ZUS has worked in collaboration with Hofbogen BV on the project, which will create a new raised

International resort operator Club Med has announced the reopening of its resort in Phuket, Thailand, following the completion of an extensive renovation of the property. The resort is located amid 25 hectares (62 acres) of palm grove on Kata Bay beach and has received a comprehensive redesign led by France-based Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet. Club Med Phuket has been transformed under the Magic of Lights theme, which is derived

Vietnam's Six Senses Con Dao Resort has been named among the winners at the MIPIM Awards 2012. Six Senses Con Dao in Ba-Ria, Vietnam, was named Best Hotel and Tourism Resort. It was designed by Stéphanie Ledoux and Réda Amalou's France-based practice, AW2. Indochina Land was the developer behind the resort, which comprises a Six Senses Spa with four indoor treatment rooms; a Thai therapy room; and three outdoor treatment

The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA) in Ohio, US, has announced that its new building in the Uptown district of University Circle will open on 8 October. London, UK-based Farshid Moussavi Architecture are behind the design of the new facility, which aims to provide a catalyst for "creativity and growth" in the surrounding neighbourhood. The 34,000sq ft (3,159sq m) building is 44 per cent larger than MOCA's current rented

Vietnam's Six Senses Con Dao Resort and The Library, an extension to a Copenhagen arts centre in Denmark, have been named among the winners at the MIPIM Awards 2012. More than 100 completed or upcoming projects were initially considered by the awards jury for this year's event, with three then selected as finalists in each of the nine categories. Six Senses Con Dao in Ba-Ria, Vietnam, was named Best Hotel

Scott Tallon Walker Architects have been selected to work on the redevelopment of Cork's Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium by the Cork County Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) Board. The group is to provide architectural services on the scheme, having worked with Populous on the multi-million euro overhaul of Dublin's Lansdowne Road - now the Aviva Stadium. Malachy Walsh and Partners will project manage the Páirc Uí Chaoimh scheme, which will establish

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction work on Miami Science Museum's (MSM) new US$275m (£175.3m, EUR209.9m) home in Florida, US. The 250,000sq ft (23,226sq m) Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is due to open in 2015 and has been designed by international architectural firm, Grimshaw Architects. A major 600,000 gallon (2.3 million l) aquarium; a full-dome 3D planetarium; and hands-on exhibits are

Construction work on a multi-million pound mixed-use redevelopment in Bromley, London, could begin this autumn after the proposals were given the green light by local councillors. Bromley Council approved The Cathedral Group's Bromley South Central scheme, the masterplan for which was designed by Guy Hollaway Architects and Studio Egret West (SEW). The vision for the scheme features a nine-screen cinema; restaurants and cafés at plaza level; a 130-bedroom hotel; and

Plans for Bristol Rovers Football Club's (BRFC) new stadium to be built on land adjacent to the University of West England's Frenchay campus are to be submitted today (9 March). South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) will be responsible for deciding the fate of the npower League Two club's proposed development, which has been designed by Arturus Architects. Gleeds, Pegasus Planning Consultants and transport adviser TPA have worked with club officials in

Royal Mail's South London Mail Centre, which is to close following an operational review, is to be transformed as part of a new mixed-use scheme approved by the local authority. Wandsworth Council has approved the Nine Elms Parkside scheme, which has been drawn up by Allies and Morrison Architects and will include a range of sport and leisure facilities. Cafés, restaurants, bars and a 3.3-acre (1.3-hectare) public park are also

International spa company ESPA has announced the first of its planned cultural partnerships for 2012 with the sponsorship of the annual Serpentine Gallery Pavilion in Hyde Park, London, UK. The pavilion is a temporary structure commissioned annually by the Serpentine Gallery to provide a showcase for contemporary architectural practice. This year, the gallery has been designed in partnership by Chinese artist and architect Ai Weiwei and Swiss architects Herzog &

Cork County Council (CCC) is planning to establish a "cluster" of activities and attractions as part of its vision for Spike Island, a former military and penal site in southern Ireland. A masterplan design team led by Scott Tallon Walker Architects has been appointed to draw up proposals for the site, which includes landscape strategist Mitchell and Associates. The initial phase of developing the island will be to increase the

Chester Zoo has unveiled plans to bring the islands of Sumatra, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines to Cheshire, UK, as part of a £30m scheme showcasing its conservation work. The Islands project is to enable visitors to explore the themed and immersive landscapes by boat or on foot, with features including educational exhibits, play areas and eateries. Species including the Indonesian Rhinoceros Hornbill and the Sumatran Orang-utan will be

A new 81-bedroom hotel is to open at the independently-owned Mere Golf Resort and Spa near Knutsford, Cheshire, this weekend to mark the completion of a £15m redevelopment. Mather and Co worked on three parts of the scheme, which has included the interior design of the new hotel - an extension to the resort's original golf club building. The Cheshire-based consultancy also carried out interior design work on a 1,253

Sofitel Luxury Hotels, a division of France-based hospitality group Accor, has announced the opening of its latest So-branded hotel with the new Sofitel So Bangkok, Thailand. Thai architect Smith Obayawat and five Thai interior designers teamed up with France-based fashion designer Christian Lacroix to devise a concept based around five elements. All 238 bedrooms and suites incorporate the elements of water, earth, wood and metal, while the dining and restaurant

Architects Foster + Partners have confirmed that the Hermitage Plaza, a mixed-use development planned for Paris, France has been granted 'permis de construire' - the final approval. The result of a close collaboration with EPAD, the City of Courbevoie, Atelier de Paysage Urbain and Département de Hauts-de-Seine, the project is intended to inject life into the area east of La Défense by creating a sustainable, high-density community. The project incorporates

Nottingham City Council (NCC) has announced the opening of the city's new £9m Victoria Leisure Centre in Sneinton, which forms part of a wider investment in local facilities. The council joined forces with inspiredspaces - a company established by Carillion - to lead the project through a public-private joint venture, the Local Education Partnership. A 70-station gym fitted with Technogym and Power Plate equipment and a fitness studio are among

Neath's Gwyn Hall arts and cultural venue is to be officially opened on 8 March, following the completion of a £9m transformation of the building undertaken by the local authority. The venue was damaged in an October 2007 fire while undergoing a £4m revamp, but has now been restored and revitalised under plans drawn up by Holder Mathias Architects. Morgan Ashurst and Swansea-based contractor John Weaver have been involved with

Sun Lane Leisure, a new £10m swimming pool and fitness centre being built in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, is now at its highest point after the project reached the topping out stage. Due for completion this summer, the NPS North East -designed complex is being delivered by Willmott Dixon Construction and will include a six-lane, 25m swimming pool. Other facilities will include a 13m x 7m learner pool; a 100-station fitness