West Nottinghamshire College (WNC) has announced "once-in-a-generation" plans for a £24m redevelopment of its Derby Road campus in Mansfield. A new sports hall with badminton and basketball courts; a sports science lab; a refreshment and viewing area; and changing facilities forms part of the extensive proposals. The Taylor Young-designed project is also set to include a two/three-storey building to house 4,000sq m (43,056sq ft) of additional teaching space, plus a

The Lee Valley White Water Centre near Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, has been chosen to host the 2015 Canoe Slalom World Championships by the International Canoe Federation. Built to stage canoe slalom events at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the facility was selected ahead of a rival bid from the French Canoe Federation. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) will own and operate the FaulknerBrowns Architects-designed venue before and

Plans for the development of a new swimming pool in Bridgwater, Somerset, have received a boost after Somerset County Council approved detailed planning permission. The complex - green lighted by the council's regulation committee - will be sited at the new Chilton Trinity School being built under the Building Schools for the Future programme. Proposals for the Scott Brownrigg Architects-designed facility include a 25m x 13m pool; a 13m x

US-based hotel operator Denihan Hospitality Group is to launch and manage a The James-branded luxury hotel on South Beach, Miami, Florida. The 390-room The James Royal Palm will be located at the historic Royal Palm Hotel which is currently being redeveloped by Denihan. An opening date has been scheduled for late 2012. Plans for the art deco-style property, which is owned by KSL Capital Partners, include a full-service spa, two

A new £30.6m wellbeing centre in Leeds and a £15m leisure, health and social care facility in Sandwell are among four schemes to be given the green light by the government. The Department of Health has announced financial support for the private finance initiative (PFI) projects, which aim to provide community social care and health facilities. Plans for Holt Park Active Living Centre are being overseen by Leeds City Council

Ballymore's plans for the redevelopment of the 10-acre (4-hectare) Leamouth Peninsula site in London's Docklands have been given the green light. The group has been handed planning consent by the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation for the scheme, which will include leisure and sports facilities and a public park. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill has drawn up the project's masterplan, with architects such as Glenn Howells Architects, John Pardey Architects and

Gateshead Council has launched the new-look Dunston Leisure Centre, following a £5.1m, year-long redevelopment designed by S&P Architects and delivered by Willmott Dixon. The scheme formed part of a wider £36m investment by the local authority in improving its facilities, which included the revamp of Heworth Leisure Centre completed in late 2010. A new 219sq m (2,357sq ft) gym and two studios have been created as part of the scheme,

A new American Football stadium being developed at the University of North Texas (UNT), US, is to be powered by three wind turbines with the help of a US$2m (£1.2m) grant. The funding has been made available by the State Energy Conservation Office, with the new turbines to supply the electrical grid powering the stadium and associated buildings. UNT is planning to open its new 28,000-seat venue in September, which

North Somerset Council (NSC) has approved planning permission for the development of new visitor facilities at the Grade I-listed Clevedon Pier. Clevedon Pier and Heritage Trust's (CPHT) scheme - designed by Bristol-based O'Leary Goss Architects - was given the go-ahead by NSC's north area committee. Under the trust's plans for the historic pier, a new visitor centre would house purpose-built education, exhibition and refreshment areas in a bid to enhance

David Chipperfield Architects' design for the Neues Museum in Berlin, Germany, has been handed the 2011 European Union (EU) Prize for Contemporary Architecture - Mies van der Rohe Award. The attraction reopened in 2009 for the first time in 70 years, following the completion of an extensive EUR212m (£187m) redevelopment project. Originally launched in 1855, the Neues Museum closed when World War Two broke out in 1939 and suffered extensive

Cardiff's Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) has announced that its new exhibition gallery - part of a £22.5m development - is to be called the Linbury Gallery. It comes after Lord and Lady Sainsbury of Preston Candover contributed £250,000 through the Linbury Trust as part of the RWCMD's fundraising campaign for the project. The RWCMD has already unveiled the new exhibition space, which is housing the Society

Leeds Rugby, owner of the city's Headingley Carnegie Stadium, has unveiled new plans for the redevelopment of the 6,000-capacity South Stand terrace. DLA Architecture's proposals have now gone on show as part of a consultation, which will see the stand's capacity increase to 6,500 and boast upgraded access for disabled fans. New alternative changing rooms and enhanced concession areas are also planned, although corporate facilities included in initial plans last

Castleford Tigers rugby league club has been awarded detailed planning permission for the development of a new 13,300-capacity stadium at Glasshoughton, West Yorkshire. Wakefield Council's planning committee approved the project, which has been designed by Ramsden and Partners architects and aims help to secure the club's Super League status. The club also recently revealed that it had signed an agreement with Opus Land (North) and Palmer Capital to sell its

Plans for the construction of a new leisure facility in Godalming, Surrey, have been referred to the government after the £6m scheme was given the green light by local councillors. Waverley Borough Council's (WBC) central area planning committee approved the project at a meeting on 30 March, with a final decision now resting with the communities secretary. The Pozzoni-designed venue will be built by ISG and will boast a 25m

Work on a £5m revamp of Pavilion Leisure Centre, London, is to get underway next month, after a legal agreement was signed by the local authority and the venue's operator. Bromley Council and leisure trust Bromley Mytime have confirmed a deal that will allow a series of improvements to take place at the 20-year-old facility. Savernake Property Consultants will project manage the refurbishment with the support of Archer Architects. Higgins

A new sister site for Cornwall's Eden Project could be developed in China as part of efforts to expand the concept to overseas locations. According to the BBC, Eden Project director Tim Smith believes that work could commence on the Chinese version of the attraction within 18 months. In 2008, Smit told Attractions Management that discussions had started to take Eden overseas. It was also reported that Singapore is also

Three private sector organisations have been shortlisted by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to draw up final bids for the acquisition and management of the Olympic Village. The three bidders are Delancey and Qatari Diar; Hutchinson Whampoa; and the Wellcome Trust, with a final decision to be made by the ODA in the summer. More than 1,400 homes; six development plots with outline planning permission; and parks, courtyards and open

Plans for a new £8.75m leisure centre and swimming pool in Witham, Essex, have been put on show at a public exhibition held by Braintree District Council (BDC). Scott Brownrigg Architects are behind the designs of the new facility, which is to be located adjacent to the Maltings Academy and is part of a council bid to enhance local provision. The new Witham centre will include a six-lane, 25m swimming

Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council has announced the opening of a new £607,000 community sports pavilion at Banna Park in Nantyglo, South Wales. The project has been funded by the Welsh Assembly Government's HARPS programme, Silent Valley En-Trust and the local authority. Nantyglo Rugby Club and Nantyglo Bowls Club will make use of the new pavilion, which was designed by the council's technical services division and built by Cowlin Construction.

Bristol, UK-based property and architects company Saturn Projects Group has launched a dedicated exhibition design division targeting the attractions industry. Saturn Imagineering will be making its debut at the Dubai Entertainments, Amusement and Leisure Show (DEAL) this week. Simon Pickard, Saturn's managing director said the company will look to establish itself in the MENA region (Middle East, Africa, Mediterranean and Asia) is currently in the process of opening an office

Engineering consultants Parsons Brinckerhoff - in conjunction with design company Back on Track - have secured a £250,000 contract to create mountain bike trails in South Wales. The consultancy has been selected to design and manage the scheme, which is being led by Forestry Commission Wales in partnership with two local authorities. A total of £915,000 will be invested in new mountain bike trails in Afan Forest Park and in

Nottingham Forest Football Club (NFFC) has unveiled a new £1.5m training facility - part of a proposed three-stage development at its Academy complex. Clegg Construction started work on the 810sq m (8,719sq ft) facility last June, which boasts a gym; treatment and medical rooms; a canteen and leisure area; and a team meeting suite. Cybex has fitted the gym as part of an £18,500 contract with the club, which includes

South Tyneside Council (STC) has announced that Bath-based landscape architects Grant Associates have been appointed to design a new £1.5m waterfront park in South Shields. The practice will work alongside the local authority on the detailed design for the new park, which will be located between South Shields ferry landing and the Customs House. Grant Associates' vision for the new park includes curved embankments with "colourful" planted areas and sheltered

Plans for a new visitor facility on the site of the Ogwen Warden Centre - between Bethesda and Capel Curig, North Wales - have been unveiled. Anglesey-based architects Dewis have drawn up designs for the new centre, which will sit at the "gateway" to Cwm Idwal in the northern part of Snowdonia National Park. The project is being fronted by the Cwm Idwal Partnership - including Snowdonia National Park Authority

Trevor Osborne Group, the Bath-based developer, has unveiled its plans for a £35m cinema development for the Pavilion Gardens site in Bournemouth, Dorset. The scheme - delayed while Bournemouth Borough Council (BBC) and the Meyrick Estate negotiated the terms of a land swap deal - had originally incorporated a casino. However, the casino element has now been removed from the development plans - designed by Piers Gough of CZWG Architects

Bloc Hotels has confirmed that it is to officially launch its new hotel concept at 73-bedroom property in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter on 11 April. Bryant Priest Newman are the architects behind the design of the four-storey hotel, which is inspired by Japanese pod-style properties and aims to withdraw "all unnecessary space". Boxbuild has worked in association with Bloc Hotel to produce the pod-style rooms, which feature sound insulation and noise

Brighton and Hove City Council (BHCC) leader Mary Mears has said that a large housing development will not be permitted for the site of a historic 1930s lido in Saltdean. Concerns had been raised after it was revealed that the leaseholder of Saltdean Lido's eyed up plans for more than 100 flats on the site. However, Mears said: "I want both the leaseholder and residents to forget about the idea