The shortlist of private sector organisations hoping to acquire and manage the Olympic Village after the 2012 Games has been announced. The nine groups – most of them partnerships – which will be invited to submit detailed financial proposals to The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) are: • Delancey & Qatari Diar • Dorrington & Pinnacle Capital • Galliard Homes • Grainger plc & Moorfield Group • Hutchison Whampoa Limited •

Swan Leisure, a new Donnelly Turpin Architects-designed leisure centre in Rathmines, Dublin, has been officially unveiled by the local authority. John Paul Construction built the new complex on behalf of Dublin City Council, which forms part of the wider €36m (£30.5m) Rathmines Square development. Facilities include a 49-station gym equipped by Precor; a 25m x 12.5m swimming pool with moveable floor; a dance and fitness studio; and a meeting/spin studio.

Plans for the development of a new £3.5m swimming pool and spa at Ramsgate Sports Centre, Kent, have been given the green light by councillors. Thanet District Council (TDC) has approved the project, which will be carried out by the local authority in partnership with Alliance Leisure. A new building will be built next to the existing centre to house a six-lane, 25m deck level pool, a training pool and

Bournemouth Borough Council (BBC) has confirmed that contractor ASR will return to carry out improvements to an artificial surf reef unveiled last year. The multi-million pound reef - located 225m (738ft) off the coast at Boscombe, Dorset - came under fire in a report in May for producing the "wrong type of waves". An agreement between the council and ASR will now see the contractor return next spring to implement

Developers interested in building a new leisure facility at Cotlandswick, Hertfordshire, are to submit their final bids to the local authority by the end of this week. St Albans City and District Council (SACDC) aims to appoint a preferred contractor in March 2011, with plans submitted as early as May. Drivers Jonas Deloitte are leading the council's project management and design team for the scheme, along with the redevelopment of

The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission in Minneapolis, US, has confirmed that snowfall caused the inflatable roof on the city's Metrodome to deflate. Birdair, the company which manufactured and installed the roof, has already carried out an inspection of the structure to determine how long repair work will take. American Football team Minnesota Vikings was forced to move its fixture with New York Giants to Ford Field, Detroit following the incident.

The first new-build 2012 Olympic venue to be completed - the Lee Valley White Water Centre near Waltham Cross, Herfordshire - has been officially opened. HRH The Princess Royal unveiled the canoeing and rafting facilities at the venue, which will host canoe slalom events during the London Games. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority will own and operate the centre before and after the Olympics, with the public able to use

Construction company Willmott Dixon has started preparatory work on the site of a new leisure centre for Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The main-build phase of the KKA-designed scheme is due to start in early 2011, with the ground to be prepared for the foundations over the coming weeks. Facilities will include an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool and learner pool with a moveable floor; a sports hall; thermal and fitness suites; and

Isle of Anglesey County Council (IACC) is to unveil a new masterplan on 11 December, which is designed to enhance coastal recreation provision at Rhosneigr. According to the council, the village's popularity with windsurfers, kite surfers and surfers from around the UK has caused access problems. IACC aims to work with residents and businesses to provide ne infrastructure in order to reduce 'potential conflict'. Jon Rowland Urban Design was appointed

Outline plans for a new £8.5m swimming pool at Blackbird Leys, Oxford, have been put to residents as part of a new council-led public consultation. Members of the public will be able to comment on the proposals at a number of OCC-run leisure venues until 17 December. Facilities mooted as part of the FaulknerBrowns Architects-designed complex include an eight-lane, 25m swimming pool with moveable floor and a teaching pool. 'Fun

Plans for a new £13.6m multi-purpose leisure facility to replace the fire-damaged Afan Lido venue in Port Talbot have been unveiled by the local authority. Neath Port Talbot Council (NPTC) confirmed that the leisure part of the proposed complex is to be run in partnership with Celtic Community Leisure. Facilities at the Holder Mathias Architects-designed centre will include a 25m swimming pool; a learner pool; a sports hall; a fitness

England women's footballer Sue Smith has helped officially launch a new £3.7m sports hall at Chipping Sodbury School in Gloucestershire. Designed by South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) in-house architect Nicole Muller, the facility has been delivered by Surrey-based Wates Construction. A 3G artificial pitch also formed part of the scheme, which has been funded by the local authority (£3m) and the Football Foundation (£630,000). SGC executive member for children and young

Outline planning permission has been granted for the development of a new £55m golf, hotel and residential development near Broughty Ferry, Dundee. Local entrepreneur Mike Forbes' proposals for The Angus, which have been drawn up by architects Archial, have been given the green light by planning officials at Angus Council. An international competition-standard, 18-hole championship golf course designed by Darren Clarke is at the heart of the scheme, along with

North Tyneside Council (NTC) has unveiled a new £1.2m sports pavilion at Forest Hall in order to replace an outdated timber community centre. East Palmersville Sports Pavilion - designed by _space group and project managed by Kier North Tyneside - will be used by Forest Hall Young People's Club. Facilities include six changing rooms; two officials rooms; a first aid room; a multi-purpose activity hall; and storage space. A floodlit

Oxford University's plans for a major overhaul of its Iffley Road sports complex have been given the green light by Oxford City Council. FaulknerBrowns Architects are behind the design of the multi-million pound project, which is set to include the demolition of the existing grandstand. A lower grandstand will be built to accommodate an indoor cricket school, a projectiles range, spectator seating and changing rooms. Meanwhile, a one double-sized and

Salford City Reds rugby league team has secured a deal that will enable it to use a new £26m community stadium at Barton-upon-Irwell as its home ground. The Super League club has reached agreement with a joint venture between Salford City Council (SCC) and developer Peel to play at the venue, which is due to open in 2012. Meanwhile, construction work on the AFL Architects-designed venue is to start in

Derbyshire County Council (DCC) has confirmed that work has started on the creation of a new £1.9m sports hall for Aldercar Community Language College, Langley Mill. Buchans has been appointed to deliver the facility, which was designed by ETC Design and will incorporate four new badminton courts and a fitness room. Changing facilities and two classrooms are also proposed as part of the scheme, which is being funded by the

St Albans City and District Council (SACDC) is to seek a new preferred contractor for the demolition and reconstruction of Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre. Although no contracts had been signed with Michael McNamara & Co, the council had identified the company as its preferred option before it entered receivership. Drivers Jonas Deloitte has now been instructed to 'recalculate the financial scores' of original tenders for the scheme in order to

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club's (THFC) plans for the £450m redevelopment of its White Hart Lane stadium in North London has received the green light from London mayor Boris Johnson. A new 56,250-seat venue is at the heart of the Northumberland Development Project proposals, although the Premier League club is still in contention to take over the running of the Olympic Stadium following the 2012 Games. Haringey Council had already approved

Plans for a new £10m sports arena on the site of a former fruit and vegetable market in Worcester are to be submitted by the University of Worcester (UW) next week. The Robert Limbrick Architects-designed Worcester Arena is designed to help drive up participation from grassroots to elite level across the region. Willmott Dixon has been appointed to work with consultants to develop the design of the 5,300sq m (57,049sq

Charnwood Borough Council (CBC) has officially unveiled a new £178,500 skateboarding and BMX facility at Southfields Park, Loughborough. Skate and bike ramps at the new facility have been designed for street skaters and transition skaters and was opened by mayor Jill Vincent on 16 November. Freestyle Skateparks and Loughborough Skatepark Association were behind the design of the facility, which was part-funded by the Veolia Environmental Trust (£70,000). The Community Spaces

Preparatory work has started on a multi-million pound scheme to revamp the Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre in St Albans, Hertfordshire. A number of buildings are to be demolished in order to make way for the S&P Architects-designed facility, with the main construction phase due to get underway in January. The new Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre, which is due for completion in summer 2012, will feature a 500sq m (5,382sq ft)

Construction work is now underway on Nottingham's new £9m Victoria Leisure Centre, which has been designed by architects Levitate. Parts of the former facility, which shut on 1 April, have already been demolished in order to allow for the start of the construction phase. A six-lane, 25m family swimming pool with separate children's pool and fun splash play area will feature at the heart of the development, along with fitness

Hertfordshire-based Willmott Dixon has been appointed by Lewisham Council to deliver a new leisure centre in Forest Hill, South London. Work is due to commence on the Roberts Limbrick Architects-designed facility in January, which will replace the existing Forest Hill Pools and feature a 25m main pool. A 16.7m learner pool; a fitness gym; two studios; a community room; and a café will also form part of the centre -

Oxfordshire-based developer The Leadbitter Group has commenced work on the construction of a new £8m leisure complex in Dorchester, Dorset. Dorset County Council and West Dorset District Council (WDDC) are working in partnership on the scheme, which is scheduled for completion in 2012. Facilities at the Dyer-designed Dorchester Sports Centre will include a six-lane swimming pool with spectator gallery; a 60-station fitness suite; a dance studio; and a changing village.

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) has criticised a lack of public funding support for the proposed £450m redevelopment of its White Hart Lane ground. According to chair Daniel Levy, the Premier League club had not been awarded any public cash to progress the plans, which have been revised at a cost of £50m. Levy said that Arsenal Football Club had received assistance to develop a new stadium at Ashburton Grove,

The next phase of a scheme to redevelop Gateshead International Stadium remains 'on track' to be completed in the New Year. S&P Architects are working with Gateshead Council on the current phase of work, which will include a new building to house a reception, catering and teaching space. Existing changing and toilet accommodation is also being upgraded as part of the work, which commenced on 6 September. The £7.6m redevelopment