The opening of Plymouth's new £46.5m Life Centre leisure complex has been pushed back to February 2012, after the project incurred delays due to inclement weather in late 2010. A spokesperson for Plymouth City Council confirmed that main building works on the new Archial-designed facility remain on track to be completed in November. The construction process was extended by five weeks earlier this year due to issues caused by the

The Hopkins-designed London 2012 Velodrome is one of the six schemes to be shortlisted for the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Stirling Prize 2011. Folkwang Museum in Essen, Germany (David Chipperfield Architects) and Stratford-upon-Avon's Royal Shakespeare and Swan Theatres (Bennetts Associates) are also shortlisted. Two London schemes are also in the running for the accolade - the Evelyn Grace Academy (Zaha Hadid Architects) and The Angel Building, (Allford Hall

Morgan Sindall has secured an £8.1m contract to deliver the new Mayesbrook Park Sports Arena in London, which will become one of the largest facilities of its kind in the UK. The LRK Associates-designed complex is to include a 5,000sq m (53,820sq ft) sports hall; a 1,000sq m (10,764sq ft) gymnasium; and changing facilities. Due to be completed in February 2012, the new facility will be first used as a

A decision to expand swimming provision at a new £24m leisure complex being developed in St Albans, Hertfordshire, has been called in for further scrutiny by the local authority. St Albans City and District Council's (SACDC) overview and scrutiny committee will meet on 26 July to examine into the cabinet's decision to increase the size of the main pool to 10 lanes. According to committee chair Robert Donald, the need

A private leisure and spa facility is to be developed as part of a residential-led scheme to be developed in Holland Park, London, after the proposals were given the green light. GC Campden Hill - a joint venture comprising property group Grosvenor and Native Land - received the green light to proceed with the plans from Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) councillors. The 2-acre (0.8-hectare), John McAslan and

Kansas City, US-based 360 Architecture is to work with Anwar Soura General Contracting Company on the development of two 30,000-seat soccer stadiums in Iraq. The design-build team has been appointed by the country's Ministry of Youth and Sport to deliver the venues in Basrah and Najaf, which will also incorporate practice facilities. Al-Menaa Sports Club is expected to cost US$86m (£53.4m) and aims to reflect Basrah's nautical tradition, located amid

Rugby Borough Council (RBC) has revealed that work could start "within months" on a new leisure centre in the Warwickshire town after plans were submitted for consideration. The B3 Architects-designed facility will cater for a range of sports and leisure uses and is to replace the current Ken Marriott Leisure Centre, which is around 40 years old. Located on the car park of the existing venue, the new leisure centre

North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) has announced that all leisure facilities at The Pods - a £21m complex designed by Andrew Wright - have now fully opened in Scunthorpe. S&P Architects worked on the scheme as delivery architects, while Bowmer and Kirkland built the facility. Buro Happold and ARCADIS were also involved with the development. Comprising five timber and glazed geodesic domes, The Pods features an 85-station, split-level fitness suite; an

S&P Architects has been appointed by Southwark Council and Lend Lease to design a new leisure centre on part of a site occupied by an existing facility in South London. The firm, which is working alongside Zaha Hadid on the London 2012 Aquatics Centre, will draw up plans for the venue to the rear of the Elephant & Castle Leisure Centre site. A six-lane, 25m swimming pool; a learner pool;

Sunderland City Council (SCC) has confirmed that work is to start on the £2.4m renovation of Houghton Sports Complex, following the completion of a new wellness centre. Improvements will be made to the existing changing facilities and a fully-accessible disabled changing space is to be added as part of the upgrade, which was approved in March 2010. Work will also include a new dance studio on the site of the

A new £8m leisure complex under construction in Dorchester, Dorset, remains on course to open in spring 2012, with the structure of the building now reaching its full height. The Leadbitter Group commenced work on the Dyer-designed Dorchester Sports Centre in November 2010, with facilities to include a six-lane swimming pool and a 60-station gym. A dance studio and a changing village also form part of the complex, which is

The two swimming pools at Scunthorpe's new multi-million pound Pods leisure complex are to open on 11 July - a week after the first facilities at the venue were unveiled. A spokesperson for North Lincolnshire Council has confirmed that the entire building will be open from that date, with other facilities including a split-level, 85-station fitness suite. Two exercise studios; a sauna; a spa bath; a steamroom; a six-court sports

Ealing Council is to hold five public meetings later this month in order to allow residents to view plans for the multi-million pound redevelopment of Acton Town Hall, west London. The first event is to take place on 15 July at Acton Baths, with proposals drawn up by S&P Architects to be put on display. Members of the project team will also be present. Plans will boast the provision of

Plans for a new £18.2m aquatics centre as part of the Aberdeen Sports Village development have taken a step forward after Graham Construction was appointed to build the complex. Designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects, the Aberdeen Aquatics Centre will comprise a ten-lane, 50m swimming pool with a dividing boom and a part-floating floor. A 25m x 16.5m diving pool, fitted with water cushioning systems and an adjustable floor, is also planned,

Construction work is now underway on a new £21m sports and leisure facility to replace the existing Fife Institute for Physical and Recreational Educational (FIPRE) in Glenrothes. Graham Construction has been chosen by Fife Council to build the new complex, which has been designed by B3 Architects and Cre8 Architecture. Facilities will include a 25m x 17m, eight-lane competition pool with viewing gallery to cater for 250 spectators and a

Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) has backed plans for the development of a new multi-million pound sports and leisure village on the site of a former prisoner of war camp. A special meeting of the full council on 4 July approved the Island Farm scheme, which had already received the backing of the local authority's planning committee in late June. The plans - comprising a 15,000-seat rugby league stadium and

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) has submitted a bid for public sector support to help kick-start the stalled Northumberland Development Project (NDP) in North London. The Premier League club had previously stated that the multi-million pound development - including a new 56,250-seat stadium and designed by KSS - was financially unviable. However, THFC has now submitted an application for Round Two of the Regional Growth Fund in a bid to

A split-level, 85-station fitness suite and a six-court sports hall are among the first facilities to be opened today (4 July) at The Pods leisure complex in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire. Two exercise studios; a sauna; a spa bath; a steamroom; and a café with an outdoor terrace have also been unveiled at the venue by North Lincolnshire Council (NLC). However, the council has yet to confirm a date for the opening

A ceremony has taken place to mark the start of construction work at the £13.7m Tollcross Aquatics Centre in Glasgow, which is to be used for swimming events at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The scheme has been designed by an in-house team at Glasgow City Council (GCC), with Barr Construction appointed to deliver the development. Work will include the creation of a new six-lane, 50m warm-up swimming pool to add

The first phase of a new sports centre at the University of Cambridge is scheduled to open in time for the 2013-14 academic year, after a £16m funding proposal was approved. Deborah Lowther, chair of the university's sports syndicate, announced that the institution was now satisfied that the scheme would provide value for money and help meet demand. A sports hall and gym will be created in the first phase

A topping out ceremony has been held to mark the latest milestone in the construction of the new £46.5m Life Centre leisure complex in Plymouth, Devon. Representatives from the local authority joined Balfour Beatty's senior project manager Jim McGee to fix the final sheet of the 9,100sq m (97,952sq ft) roof into place at the building. Designed by Archial, the 18,161sq m (195,483sq ft) Life Centre is to be operated

London Golf Club in Ash, Kent, has unveiled plans for the development of a new hotel and spa as part of its ambition to establish a 'world-class' golf resort in south east England. The club - host venue of the 2008 and 2009 European Open events - has received planning consent from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council for the £35m scheme. Designed by MacKenzie Wheeler, the new development will include

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) has confirmed that oxygen therapy had been administered to three men, following an incident at The Pods leisure centre in Scunthorpe. According to HFRS, an explosion occurred in the venue's chlorine treatment plant due to a build-up of pressure that led to the release of chlorine gas from the swimming pool area. North Lincolnshire Council has now commenced work on a clear up operation

Sutton Council has unveiled the first look at how Carshalton's Westcroft Leisure Centre is to look, following the completion of an extensive £11.3m revamp to start later this year. The Hoca Practice-designed refurbishment will see the complex close in October and is set to include an eight-lane swimming pool; a large multi-sports hall; and a gym. A dance studio; a café; IT facilities and a library will also be provided

Middlesbrough-based Buckler Demolition has commenced work on clearing the site for a new £31m leisure, business support and community facility in Redcar. Outline plans drawn up by S&P Architects and Plus3 Architects were given the go ahead by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) last week. Detailed proposals for the facility will now be drawn up while the site between Kirkleatham Street and Coatham Road is cleared to make way

Rugby-based construction firm Morgan Sindall has been awarded the contract to deliver De Montfort University's (DMU) new £8m leisure centre in Leicester. Work has now commenced on the S&P Architects-designed facility, which will boast a 25m pool; a gym; a climbing wall; eight racket courts; and studios for yoga, aerobics and Pilates. The design of the complex incorporates metallic outer shells and cedar-lined interiors, which are to form towers and

Bristol City Football Club (BCFC) has welcomed an "encouraging" decision by the local authority to designate part of the city's Ashton Vale site as a Town Green. The npower Championship club is looking to develop a new 30,000-seat venue on the land, although a group of local residents is opposed to the proposals. Bristol City Council's public rights of way committee has now accepted a recommendation to award Town Green