Two design teams have been appointed to project manage the construction of a tennis centre and clubhouses for bowls and golf at Batchwood Golf and Tennis Centre, Hertfordshire. St Albans City and District Council has confirmed Saunders Boston will be leading the pre-contract and build phases of the bowls and golf facilities, which are due to open later this year. Meanwhile, Drivers Jonas Deloitte has been appointed to oversee the

European Golf Design (EGD) has announced that preliminary course design work is now underway at the host of the 2018 Ryder Cup, Le Golf National in Paris, France. The company will work with the European Tour and the French Golf Federation in order to prepare the Albatross Course and is currently assessing masterplans for the venue. EGD was behind the design of the Twenty Ten Course at the Celtic Manor

Dundee-based architects Nicoll Russell Studios (NRS) has been awarded a £1m contract to design a new visitor centre, which is part of the £41m Helix Project near Falkirk, Scotland. The design firm has been chosen following a Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland-managed competition and tender process to create a "functional, yet visionary" facility. NRS will also design an internal public space to be located within a 30m (98ft)-high Kelpie

Hertfordshire-based construction group Willmott Dixon has been appointed to build a new £31m leisure, business support and community facility in Redcar, north east England. The scheme - designed by Plus3 Architects and S&P Architects - was given final approval by planning officials at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council (RCBC) last September. A six-lane, 25m swimming pool, a training pool and a learner pool will form part of the new complex,

The Crown Estate has announced plans for a £400m redevelopment of three sites in central London, which will create nearly 28,000sq m (300,000sq ft) of mixed-use accommodation. A lead scheme - called St James's Market and designed by Make Architects - is to feature 4,200sq m (45,000sq ft) of retail, restaurant and leisure floorspace, along with new offices. St James's Market will be located between Haymarket and Regent Street and

Work has now started on demolishing the Studio Theatre at Royal Holloway, University of London, which is making way for the construction of a new £3.5m cultural complex. First opened in 1981, the Studio Theatre was originally built at a cost of £50,000 but is now being replaced by a new building designed by London-based Foster Wilson Architects. The facility aims to provide an "intimate and flexible space for 21st

Edinburgh-based firm Miller Construction has been announced as the preferred bidder for the contract to build a new £40m arts and innovation complex at Bangor University, Wales. Work on the Pontio development is expected to get underway in May/June, with Grimshaw Architects behind the building's design. Arup and Atkins are also involved with the project. The 10,000sq m (107,639sq ft) complex will boast a theatre with a seating capacity of

S&P Architects have submitted a planning application to Ealing Council for the proposed multi-million pound redevelopment and regeneration of London's Acton Town Hall. The design firm, which is also behind the design of The Pods in Scunthorpe and St Albans' Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre, is working with the local authority to deliver its latest project. Once complete, the new-look Acton Town Hall will house leisure facilities such as an eight-lane,

Neath Port Talbot (NPT) Council is to consider a masterplan for the future of the Rheola Estate in the Neath Valley, South Wales, which has been produced in collaboration with the site's owner. A leisure complex housing a swimming pool; a spa; a gym; a restaurant; and a bar is among the plans for the estate, along with holiday log cabins and a residential development. The council said the residential

FC United of Manchester (FCUM) has moved closer to its planned new stadium in Moston after the club successfully raised more than £1.6m through a community share issue. In addition to the new Taylor Young -designed stadium, the £4.6m project will also feature the provision of community facilities such as a full-size artificial pitch and junior grass pitches. Manchester City Council has approved planning permission for the scheme and reaching

Edinburgh's Royal Commonwealth Pool, which will host the diving competition during the 2014 Commonwealth Games, has officially reopened following an £37m refurbishment. Leisure specialists S&P Architects are behind the design of the new-look complex, with the scheme involving the stripping back of the A-listed building's shell, before it was completely rebuilt. Graham Construction carried out the work on behalf of the City of Edinburgh Council, with facilities including a 50m,

Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces has opened a new Vivanta by Taj-branded spa resort in northern Kerala, India. The 25-acre (10-hectare) The Vivanta by Taj, Bekal resort is home to the Jiva Grande Spa, which is spread over 165,000sq ft (15,000sq m). Spa facilities include single and double treatment rooms; beauty treatment rooms; meditation and yoga pavilions; relaxation pools; and a large health and fitness club. All treatment rooms have

German ride manufacturer HUSS Park Attractions has begun construction work on a £3.5m observation tower in Weymouth, Dorset, UK. When completed later this year, the 53m (174ft)-tall tower will be operated by Merlin Entertainments and will provide panoramic, 360-degree views over the English channel and surrounding countryside. The structure will be built on the town's Festival Pier and will feature a rotating gondola of 12m in diameter, capable of accommodating

A new £4m art gallery housing the Jerwood Foundation's collection of 20th and 21st century works is to open its doors to the public in Hastings, East Sussex, tomorrow (17 March). The development of the Jerwood Gallery - designed by Colchester-based HAT Projects - is part of a wider £9m regeneration of the Stade, a historic area located in Hastings' old town. It is hoped the gallery will add Hastings

Damien Hirst, one of the UK's most prominent contemporary artists, has announced plans to open a new public gallery housing his personal collection in south London in 2014. The artist told the Observer newspaper that the Lambeth development would display highlights from his collection, which encompasses more than 2,000 art works. Hirst said the Caruso St John -designed attraction will transform a terrace of listed buildings and will be as

The Pods, a £21m leisure facility opened last summer in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, has been shortlisted for the public building of the year accolade at this year's Sustain Awards. Andrew Wright Associates were behind the concept design of the complex, which was taken forward by S&P Architects and comprised five timber and glazed geodesic dome structures. Facilities at The Pods include an 85-station, split-level fitness suite; an eight-lane swimming pool and

The relaunch of a 20m swimming pool and sports hall at Golden Lane Sport and Fitness in the City of London has marked the completion of an extensive £2.65m refurbishment. Cartwright Pickard Architects were behind the redesign of the Grade II-listed facility, which first opened in the 1960s and was originally designed by Chamberlain, Powell and Bon – the architects behind the Barbican complex. The 20m, four-lane swimming pool and

A 350m (1,148ft)-wide wooden pedestrian bridge linking Rotterdam's Central District with the Hofbogen is to be built in the Dutch city with contributions from members of the public. Rotterdam-based Zones Urbaines Sensibles (ZUS) are behind the design of the Luchtsingel scheme, which polled the most votes in the city's EUR4m (£3.3m, US$5.2m) Stadsinitiatief. ZUS has worked in collaboration with Hofbogen BV on the project, which will create a new raised

International resort operator Club Med has announced the reopening of its resort in Phuket, Thailand, following the completion of an extensive renovation of the property. The resort is located amid 25 hectares (62 acres) of palm grove on Kata Bay beach and has received a comprehensive redesign led by France-based Marc Hertrich and Nicolas Adnet. Club Med Phuket has been transformed under the Magic of Lights theme, which is derived

Vietnam's Six Senses Con Dao Resort has been named among the winners at the MIPIM Awards 2012. Six Senses Con Dao in Ba-Ria, Vietnam, was named Best Hotel and Tourism Resort. It was designed by Stéphanie Ledoux and Réda Amalou's France-based practice, AW2. Indochina Land was the developer behind the resort, which comprises a Six Senses Spa with four indoor treatment rooms; a Thai therapy room; and three outdoor treatment

The Museum of Contemporary Art Cleveland (MOCA) in Ohio, US, has announced that its new building in the Uptown district of University Circle will open on 8 October. London, UK-based Farshid Moussavi Architecture are behind the design of the new facility, which aims to provide a catalyst for "creativity and growth" in the surrounding neighbourhood. The 34,000sq ft (3,159sq m) building is 44 per cent larger than MOCA's current rented

Vietnam's Six Senses Con Dao Resort and The Library, an extension to a Copenhagen arts centre in Denmark, have been named among the winners at the MIPIM Awards 2012. More than 100 completed or upcoming projects were initially considered by the awards jury for this year's event, with three then selected as finalists in each of the nine categories. Six Senses Con Dao in Ba-Ria, Vietnam, was named Best Hotel

Scott Tallon Walker Architects have been selected to work on the redevelopment of Cork's Páirc Uí Chaoimh stadium by the Cork County Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) Board. The group is to provide architectural services on the scheme, having worked with Populous on the multi-million euro overhaul of Dublin's Lansdowne Road - now the Aviva Stadium. Malachy Walsh and Partners will project manage the Páirc Uí Chaoimh scheme, which will establish

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held to mark the start of construction work on Miami Science Museum's (MSM) new US$275m (£175.3m, EUR209.9m) home in Florida, US. The 250,000sq ft (23,226sq m) Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science is due to open in 2015 and has been designed by international architectural firm, Grimshaw Architects. A major 600,000 gallon (2.3 million l) aquarium; a full-dome 3D planetarium; and hands-on exhibits are

Construction work on a multi-million pound mixed-use redevelopment in Bromley, London, could begin this autumn after the proposals were given the green light by local councillors. Bromley Council approved The Cathedral Group's Bromley South Central scheme, the masterplan for which was designed by Guy Hollaway Architects and Studio Egret West (SEW). The vision for the scheme features a nine-screen cinema; restaurants and cafés at plaza level; a 130-bedroom hotel; and

Plans for Bristol Rovers Football Club's (BRFC) new stadium to be built on land adjacent to the University of West England's Frenchay campus are to be submitted today (9 March). South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) will be responsible for deciding the fate of the npower League Two club's proposed development, which has been designed by Arturus Architects. Gleeds, Pegasus Planning Consultants and transport adviser TPA have worked with club officials in

Royal Mail's South London Mail Centre, which is to close following an operational review, is to be transformed as part of a new mixed-use scheme approved by the local authority. Wandsworth Council has approved the Nine Elms Parkside scheme, which has been drawn up by Allies and Morrison Architects and will include a range of sport and leisure facilities. Cafés, restaurants, bars and a 3.3-acre (1.3-hectare) public park are also