Construction work is set to get underway on a major £3m expansion of the conference and exhibition facilities at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. Three new halls will be created as part of the scheme, which will result in an additional 2,500sq m (26,910sq ft) of exhibition space and a 650-seat auditorium to complement the existing 6,000sq m (64,583sq ft) Jaguar Exhibition Hall. A new entrance stairway will also be

Loughborough University has taken possession of SportPark, a bespoke sports administration hub which will host a number of UK sports bodies. Designed and built by Baggaley Construction, the £15m landmark building at the west entrance of the University campus will be home to sports organisations including British Swimming, the Amateur Swimming Association, Volleyball England, the Great Britain Wheelchair Basketball Association, UK Sport and the Youth Sports Trust. The sports

Emirates Golf Club has appointed London-based architects Thomson Perrett & Lobb (TPL) to modernise its flagship Majlis Course, home of the Dubai Desert Classic. TPL will carry out an audit of the course's bunkering as part of a wider modernisation programme, overseeing the repositioning and reconstruction of bunkers to upgrade the course for professional events as well as day-to-day club and visitor play. The 7,301-yard, par-72 layout, which opened in

Construction has begun on a new £2.6m sports science centre at the University of Glamorgan in Pontypridd. The centre, which has been designed by London-based Holder Mathias Architects, is being built on the existing playing fields at the university and includes a new multi-purpose sports hall with six courts and an ancillary support block. The centre will also act as a high-tech teaching facility with a monitoring room enabling teaching

Cherwell District Council (CDC) has announced the opening of the new £15m Spiceball Leisure Centre in Banbury, Oxfordshire, which has been completed on budget ahead of schedule. Initially due to open in January 2010, the new centre replaces the former Spiceball Park Leisure Centre and forms part of a wider sports centre modernisation programme in the local area, which is being led by Cherwell Community Leisure (CLL) - a wholly

A problem with the installation of fire dampers at the new £25m Leisurezone leisure complex in Harlow, Essex, has forced the opening of the facility to be put on hold. Forming part of the wider Harlow Gateway regeneration scheme, it had been hoped that Abingdon-based contractor Leadbitter would handover the venue to the Gateway partners by Christmas 2009. However, the latest estimate for the "practical completion" of the Leisurezone centre

Streatham Leisure Centre, operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited, has closed until further notice due to health and safety concerns. The centre's swimming pool was closed last week after an engineer's report raised concerns about the condition of the centre's roof, but further checks since then have revealed more widespread structural problems. Lambeth Council is now assessing the work needed to repair the building and in the meantime is directing users

London-based David Morley Architects (DMA) has been appointed by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to draw up designs for a new water polo arena, which will be used at the 2012 Games. The temporary venue, which will provide seating capacity for 5,000 spectators and a warm-up pool, will be located alongside the permanent Aquatics Centre and will act as a gateway to the Olympic Park site. Construction work is scheduled

Everton Football Club (EFC) and Tesco have been left "bitterly disappointed" at a decision to reject plans for the transformation of Kirkby, Liverpool, which would have included a new 50,000-seat stadium. Communities secretary John Denham has blocked the scheme, following a public inquiry held between November 2008 and February 2009 in the wake of Knowsley Council's decision to approve planning permission. In addition to the new stadium, proposals for the

Construction work has started on a £850,000 redevelopment of the Swan Centre for Leisure in Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, which is to be delivered in three stages. The first phase of the scheme, which is being managed by operator Tees Active, will see Createability convert an existing 500sq m (5,382sq ft) soft play area into a new 65-station gym equipped with Technogym cv and resistance equipment. Scheduled for completion by January 2010,

An application for a 430m euro (£387.4m) snow complex in Dundalk, Ireland, is to be submitted to Louth County Council. The Altitude project - proposed by local firm Innovative Leisure Systems and the UK-based Briton Engineering – will include a ski slope and nursery slopes; a 100-bedroom family hostel; a 110,000sq ft indoor concert arena; an 80,000sq ft leisure zone, which includes a cinema and bowling alley; and a 40,000sq

London-based architects Watkins Gray International's plans for the regeneration of the historic Camberwell Baths in London have been given the green light by the local authority. The London Borough of Southwark has approved planning consent for the first phase of a £3m scheme to overhaul the Grade II-listed baths, which will include repairs to the pool and sports hall and major upgrade works. Facilities at the refurbished 4,000sq m (43,056sq

Plans have been unveiled for a major £400m redevelopment of Lord's cricket ground in St John's Wood, London, which are designed to reaffirm the venue's reputation as the home of cricket. The development proposals have been drawn up by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron - the firm behind the Beijing National Stadium, China, which was used for the 2008 Olympic Games. According to The Times newspaper, the Vision for

Lancashire County Cricket Club (LCCC) has submitted plans for a major £200m redevelopment of the Old Trafford cricket ground in Manchester to the local authority. Trafford Council is now set to consider the development proposals, which form part of a wider sports-led regeneration project aimed at transforming a 50-acre (20-hectare) surrounding the venue. Construction company Morgan Ashurst has already commenced work on the first stage of the stadium redevelopment, which

A 160m (525ft) wave-shaped roof structure has been lowered into place as part of the Zaha Hadid-designed London 2012 Aquatics Centre at the Olympic Park. The venue, which will act as the gateway to the Olympic Park in Stratford, will boast two 50m swimming pools, a 25m diving pool and a dry diving area for community and elite use after the 2012 Games. Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chief executive David

Work has started on the £48m redevelopment of the Rose Bowl stadium near Southampton, which aims to transform the venue into a leading international cricket venue. Two new stands - designed by EPR Architects in conjunction with The Miller Partnership - will be constructed either side of the existing pavilion as part of the project in order to increase the venue's permanent capacity to 15,000. Due for completion in April

Bristol City Football Club's (BCFC) plans for the development of a new multi-million pound stadium at Ashton Vale have been handed a boost by the local authority. Planning officials at Bristol City Council (BCC) have been minded to approve the scheme, which includes the 30,000-seat venue, a hotel and part of a housing scheme on the Alderman Moores allotments site. However, the development proposals could face a £5.5m shortfall after

Sheffield United Football Club (SUFC) has been given planning permission for the redevelopment of the South Stand at its Bramall Lane stadium by Sheffield City Council (SCC). The scheme will include an additional tier of seating in the South Stand, which will complement the club's proposed redevelopment of the Kop stand in a bid to increase the venue's capacity to around 44,000 spectators. New purpose-built exhibition and conference facilities, additional

East Northamptonshire Council (ENC) has announced it has reached an agreement with a local rugby club over the proposed site of a new £13m leisure centre in Rushden. Rushden and Higham Ferrers Rugby Club had voiced concerns that the Manor Park plans would result in the loss of its pitches, but ENC has now struck a deal with the club to provide two pitches as part of the scheme. ENC

A new £12.2m swimming pool and fitness complex - one of the largest to be built at a UK university - is expected to open at the University of Leeds, West Yorkshire, in summer 2010. Hertfordshire-based construction company Willmott Dixon is building the new facility, which has been designed by the London-based architects behind the 2012 Olympic Aquatic Centre, S&P. Facilities at the new complex will include an eight-lane, 25m

Construction work on a new 25,000-seat stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, US, which will provide a new home for New York Red Bulls, has reached a fresh milestone after the final piece of turf was laid. The Red Bull Arena has been designed by Los Angeles-based Rossetti Architects to be more in line with soccer venues across the world. Supporters will be seated 21ft (6.4m) from the pitch, fully covered

Plans for the Northumberland Development Project, which will include a new 56,250-seat stadium for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club (THFC) have been submitted to Haringey Council. The projected capacity of the stadium has been reduced from 58,000 after the club revised the plans to incorporate a new 63-row, single-tier stand, which it is hoped will create "the most atmospheric stadium in Europe". In addition to the proposed stadium, the multi-million pound

Plans to build a £2.9m dry ski slope and club house at Newmilns Snow and Sports Complex in Ayrshire have been approved. East Ayrshire Council gave the project the go ahead for two new dry ski slopes and a clubhouse designed by Lawrence McPherson Associates. The new 115m slope and 30m nursery slope will replace the existing slope, while the clubhouse will boast a café, a gym, changing facilities and

Designers have been appointed for a new swimming pool project in Millom, Cumbria. Cambridge-based architects Saunders Boston have been awarded the contract for the facility, which will replace the town’s current pool at a local school. The project is the brainchild of the Millom and Haverigg Economic Development Group. Acting chair, Roland Woodward, was quoted by the North West Evening Mail, as saying: “This is the first major step forward

Visitors to City Hall, London, will be given the chance to navigate through the completed 2012 Olympic Park as part of a new interactive exhibition opened by the Olympic Delivery Agency (ODA). In addition to a simulator of the Olympic Park, the exhibition includes models of the Olympic Park, the Olympic Stadium and the velodrome. Volunteers will staff the exhibition, which is scheduled to run for three weeks. ODA chair

Sports venue design company Populous has been appointed to the design team tasked with creating the main stadium for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia. Populous will join Russian contractor Engeocom, and Botta Management as part of the design consortium responsible for the delivery of the 40,000-capacity venue. The announcement follows Populous' work in producing the master plan for competition and non-competition venues and facilities in Sochi, John

Westminster City Council (WCC) has confirmed that the Marshall Street baths in central London will reopen to the public in 2010. Redevelopment work on the site, which has been closed since 1997 due to safety fears, began in August 2008. The £25m revamp is being carried out by Marshall Street Regeneration company. SG Interior Exterior is acting as the construction manager for the project and it will continue to oversee