The construction of a new £8.75m leisure centre in Witham, Essex, has moved a step closer after Braintree District Council (BDC) approved planning permission for the scheme. Five companies have been shortlisted as part of a search to secure a contractor to deliver the Scott Brownrigg Architects-designed facility, with work due to start later this year. Located adjacent to the Maltings Academy, the new centre will include a six-lane, 25m

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) has confirmed that demolition work at the site of a planned £31m leisure, business support and community hub has been completed. Detailed proposals for the S&P Architects and Plus3 Architects-designed project have been submitted for consideration already, with councillors set to reach a decision by late 2011. The area between Kirkleatham Street and Coatham Road will house a complex including a 25m, six-lane swimming

Six shortlisted designs for the new Kensington Aldridge Academy and Kensington Leisure Centre, West London, have been put on display by the local authority. Earlier this year, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) published a brief to guide the development of the Kensington Academy and Leisure Centre (KALC) project. Aedas; AStudio; de Rijke Marsh Morgan (DRMM); Hawkins Brown; Seymour Harris; and Studio E are the six firms to

The London Borough of Sutton has given the green light for the redevelopment of Westcroft Leisure Centre to go ahead. The £11.3m plans will see the existing centre in Carshalton closed from 23 October this year ready for it to be demolished to make way for the new-look facility. When it reopens late next year the new Hoca Practice-designed Westcroft Leisure Centre will boast a 25m competition pool, a large

Leeds City Council (LCC) is to increase its financial contribution towards a flagship health, community and sport complex after private finance initiative (PFI) funding was reduced. More than £30.5m worth of PFI 'credits' were allocated to the Holt Park Wellbeing Centre project in April, but has now been revealed that the figure is set to be revised to £28.9m. LCC's contribution to the scheme under the PFI system will now

A reserved matters planning application has been submitted for Camden Council's planned new multi-service complex in King's Cross, London, which is to include a sports centre. Earlier this month, it was revealed that King's Cross Central Limited Partnership (KCCLP) and the local authority had agreed terms for the lease and development management. LA Architects are behind the design of the Three Pancras Square development, which is set to house a

The start of work on a new multi-million pound swimming pool in Blackbird Leys, Oxford, is to be delayed after a group of local residents submitted a Town Green application. Oxford City Council (OCC) has confirmed that it has earmarked an additional £350,000 in contingency funding for the delay, with work initially due to start in early September. Willmott Dixon has already been selected to build the FaulknerBrowns Architects-designed venue,

Derby City Council (DCC) has revealed that Mace has been named as the successful design team that will now go forward to work on the city's proposed new multi-sport arena. Councillors selected the group following a tender process, with the specification of the venue to be finalised after local residents and sports clubs are given the chance to have their say. It is thought that a 12 badminton court indoor

Detailed proposals for a major new £31m leisure, business support and community facility in the heart of Redcar have been submitted to the local planning authority for consideration. Outline plans drawn up by S&P Architects and Plus3 Architects were given the green light by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) earlier this summer. Middlesbrough-based Buckler Demolition has already commenced work to clear the site at Kirkleatham Street and Coatham Road,

A new sports centre is among the facilities to be developed in King's Cross, London as part of a wider scheme by Camden Council to provide a range of public services in one location. Three Pancras Square is poised to house local authority-run operations - including a library and a customer contact centre - under LA Architects-designed proposals for the building. Initial plans for the two-floor sports facility include a

Bath and North East Somerset Council (BANES) has submitted a new planning application for the construction of a £3m dual-use sports hall at the city's Wellsway School. Cardiff-based Boyes Rees Architects are behind the design of the facility, which forms part of the council's strategy to improve school buildings across the area. A site next to an existing synthetic turf pitch will house the 1,878sq m (20,215sq ft) facility, which

Derbyshire Dales District Council (DDDC) has revealed that Arc Leisure Matlock - a new £12m complex designed by Dyer - is to open to the public for the first time on 24 August. Built by Morgan Sindall and project managed by Drivers Jonas Deloitte, the facility is to be handed over the council in mid-August ahead of the scheduled opening date. The existing Matlock Lido will close on 14 August

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

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

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;

Createability has started work on a £370,000 refurbishment scheme at Winchester's River Park Leisure Centre, which will deliver an expanded fitness suite at the venue. Due to take 12 weeks to complete, the programme of work follows the announcement that operator DC Leisure had renewed its contract to manage the site for 12 more years. The scheme will see Createability break through the existing fitness suite and join it to

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

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

Spa management and skincare company ESPA revealed ESPA Life, its brand new spa concept, at the five-star, 294-bedroom Corinthia Hotel London, UK, yesterday (4 July 2011). ESPA Life is billed as 'a leading voice in the next generation of spa' and will offer a fully integrated wellness approach alongside a luxury spa experience. The wellness menu includes lifestyle programmes that focus on detox, sleep, weight-loss, pregnancy and general vitality. It

Churchill Sports Centre in North Somerset is undergoing a £900,000 redevelopment. The leisure centre, a dual use site with Churchill Community School, is managed by leisure trust Tone, which is investing more than £100,000 towards the work, whilst North Somerset Council will provide the further £800,000. The redevelopment, carried out by leisure development partner Createability and project managed by Alliance Leisure, will include a 35-station gym, two studios and a

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