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

East Kilbride's Dollan Aqua Centre has reopened to the public following the completion of a £7m refurbishment of the Grade A-listed venue, which was carried out by Clark Contracts. The renovation of the complex - originally designed by Alexander Buchanan Campbell and first opened in 1968 - included structural works and new floor, wall and ceiling finishes. Among the facilities at Dollan Aqua Centre is one of Scotland's five 50m

A groundbreaking ceremony has taken place to mark the start of work on a £17.3m stadium that is to provide a new home for Rotherham United Football Club (RUFC). The 12,000-seat stadium - designed by S&P Architects - will be delivered on the site of the South Yorkshire town's former Guest and Chrimes foundry site by GMI Construction. Gleeds is project managing the scheme, which will see the north and

St Albans City and District Council (SACDC) has confirmed that two additional swimming pool lanes will be added as part of the £24m Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre scheme. Earlier this month, councillors agreed to move forward with the S&P Architects-designed project after considering the findings of a review of its business case, commissioned following May's local elections. Members of SACDC's cabinet noted a need for increased water space to meet

An official 'digging' ceremony has taken place to mark the start of construction work on a new leisure centre in Godalming, Surrey - next to the existing Broadwater park facility. Preparatory work got underway on the £6m development earlier this month after Waverley Borough Council (WBC) approved planning permission. Designed by Pozzoni and to be built by ISG, the centre will be operated by DC Leisure and will incorporate a

Sporting Kansas City's new 18,467-capacity LIVESTRONG Sporting Park venue has been officially launched with a Major League Soccer fixture against Chicago Fire on 9 June. The capacity of the Populous-designed stadium, which was delivered by Turner Construction, can be increased to 25,000 for concerts and features 36 suites and covered seats throughout. LIVESTRONG Sporting Park incorporates a 75-yard x 120-yard natural grass surface with a SubAir under-soil heating and cooling

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) planners have approved the development of a £31m leisure, business support and community facility in the heart of Redcar. S&P Architects and Plus3 Architects are behind the design of the complex, which is set to feature a 25m, six-lane swimming pool and leisure pool; a fitness suite; and a junior gym. A dance hall and performance space; a sports hall; community facilities; business space

Bristol Rovers Football Club (BRFC) has unveiled its plans to relocate to a new 20,000-seat stadium on land at the University of West England's (UWE) Frenchay campus. The npower League Two club said its current Memorial Ground is no longer fit for purpose and aims to sell off the existing venue to Sainsbury's to help fund the Arturus-designed development. Both projects are expected to represent a combined investment of £60m,

The Pods - a multi-million pound leisure and sports facility being developed in Scunthorpe - has been handed over to North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) ahead of its July opening. Bowmer and Kirkland has completed construction work on the new centre, which has been designed by Andrew Wright with S&P Architects acting as the project's delivery architects. Buro Happold has also been involved with the development of The Pods, which comprises

The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has revealed that construction work at the London 2012 Basketball Arena is now complete - the fourth Olympic Park venue to be finished. One of the largest temporary venues to be used in an Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is to be dismantled following next summer's competition and will be reused elsewhere. Initial work commenced on-site in October 2009 before the erection of a 1,000-tonne

Rotherham United Football Club's (RUFC) plans to develop a new £17.3m stadium on the site of the town's former Guest and Chrimes foundry site have been handed a boost. A £5m loan towards the cost of the S&P Architects-designed ground has been approved by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council's (RMBC) cabinet. Gleeds has already been appointed to project manage the 12,000-seat stadium development, which will be built by GMI Construction and

Councillors have voted to proceed with the £24m Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre project in St Albans, Hertfordshire, following an independent review of the scheme's business case. The review took place after a Conservative-led administration took control of St Albans City and District Council (SACDC) following the local government elections in May. At a meeting on 7 June, cabinet members decided to move forward with the S&P Architects-designed scheme, which has

A new £30m sports centre that will provide facilities for research, fitness, sport development and the staging of events has been officially unveiled by Northumbria University (NU). Sir Robert McAlpine started construction work on the Atkins-designed Sport Central venue in 2008, with Gardiner and Theobald acting as project manager on behalf of the institution. Facilities include a 3,000-capacity main arena to stage sporting events and to provide a home court

A new public competition has been launched by Luton Borough Council (LBC), Active Luton and Wates Construction in a bid to find an official name for the town's new £26m aquatic centre. Designed by S&P Architects, the new Stopsley complex will comprise a 50m, eight-lane pool with integrated diving area; a high-dive training centre; and a 20m x 10m community pool. A multi-purpose sports hall; a 100-station fitness suite; two

Leisure trust Tone and development partner Createability have commenced work on a major £900,000 upgrade of the facilities at Churchill Sports Centre in North Somerset. Alliance Leisure is overseeing the delivery of the project, which will boast a 35-station gym; two studios; and a dry changing area. A £300,000 all-weather pitch is also planned. The reception area at the dual-use site is to be remodelled to provide separate entrances for

Work is due to start on Wakefield ONE - a new £10m swimming pool and fitness complex in Wakefield - today (6 June) as part of the local authority's wider regeneration plans. Willmott Dixon Construction has been chosen to build the NPS North East-designed venue, which will be located on Sun Lane and is due for completion next summer. Drivers Jonas Deloitte is also involved with the scheme, which will