Building work on a multi-million pound overhaul of Gateshead's Dunston Leisure Centre has been officially completed after the keys were handed over to the local authority. Willmott Dixon has been responsible for delivering the S&P Architects-designed scheme, which has transformed the 1960s swimming pool into a multi-use leisure complex. The construction phase has taken a year and contractors - along with Gateshead Council - will now carry out the finishing

A new multi-million pound 'floating' visitor centre at Brockholes Wetland and Woodland Reserve near Preston, Lancashire, has taken to the water for the first time. London-based Adam Khan Architects are behind the design of the Visitor Village, which is at the heart of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust reserve due to launch on Easter Sunday. Adam Khan Architects were supported by Price and Myer and Max Fordham and Jackson Coles at

The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, is to open a new exhibition charting the story of the current Afghanistan campaign. The Battle Group Afghanistan exhibition – designed in partnership by the Tank Museum and Devon-based exhibition designer Imagemakers – tells the tale of soldiers fighting in Afghanistan through their own words and relays to the public the dangers they face in the field. It will also see the displaying of

Work on the construction of London 2012's flagship venue - the Olympic Stadium - has been completed nearly three years after the project commenced. Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) chair John Armitt joined London 2012 chair Sebastian Coe and 400m hurdles medallist Tasha Danvers to lay the last piece of turf at the venue. The Populous-designed stadium was built by a team led by Sir Robert McAlpine and came in under

North Lincolnshire Council (NLC) has announced that work on a new multi-million pound leisure complex in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, has reached the topping out stage. A special ceremony has been held to mark the project's latest milestone, which also saw the last tile laid in the swimming pool at the Andrew Wright-designed venue. S&P Architects has worked on the scheme as 'delivery' architects, while Buro Happold and Bowmer and Kirkland have

Amanda Levete Architects (AL_A) has been appointed to lead the Exhibition Road scheme at London's Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum, following an international contest. The London-based practice held off six other shortlisted entries for the project, which is to include the creation of new galleries and a public courtyard for installations and events. An entrance to the attraction will also be created on Exhibition Road as part of the scheme,

CanCan Development has announced its plans for a US$450m (£281m, EUR319m) casino, resort and French-themed retail and entertainment village in D'Iberville, Mississippi, US. It is hoped the 18-acre (7.3-hectare) development will create around 2,000 jobs and bring in "much-needed" tax revenue to an area affected by Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill. The scheme will comprise a 60,000sq ft (5,574sq m) casino with 46 table games, 1,800 slot machines

Hockey matches at the 2012 Olympic Games will be played on blue pitches - the first time an Olympic or World-level hockey event has been played on a non-green surface. Sports Technology International has been appointed to design, install and maintain the 2012 hockey pitches, which will feature a blue main surface, pink run off areas and white lines. Plans for the Hockey Centre were submitted to the Olympic Delivery

Construction has begun on the NGN49bn (US$268m, £167m, 190m euro) Delta Leisure Resort in the Warri and Asaba Cities of Delta State, Nigeria. The large resort will be designed as a major tourist attraction and has been touted as the 'first of its kind' in West Africa. The first phase is due to open at the end of 2013. UK-based design and AV specialist Sarner is working together with its

Plans for the redevelopment of Edgbaston Priory Club have been awarded planning permission. The tennis and squash centre will be transformed by the introduction of a new sunken centre court with a capacity of 1,000 permanent seats, increasing to 2,500 seats during major competitions. Designed by Glenn Howells Architects, the redevelopment also includes the building of a new six-court indoor tennis centre, creating an all-year tennis facility. The existing Clubhouse

St Albans City and District Council (SACDC) has announced that construction work has started on the new multi-million pound Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre. Willmott Dixon commenced work on site following a turf-cutting ceremony on 21 March, with the S&P Architects-designed venue due for completion in summer 2012. Facilities at the Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre will include a 500sq m (5,382sq ft) spa area with a 60sq m (646sq ft) terrace

A total of six schemes have been shortlisted from more than 340 entrants for the European Union (EU) Prize for Contemporary Architecture - the Mies van der Rohe Award. The award was first launched in 1987 and is co-funded by the EU Culture Programme and the Mies van der Rohe Foundation, with Stansted Airport among the previous winners. Among the shortlisted projects in the running for the EUR60,000 (£52,000) prize

South Tyneside Council (STC) has announced that construction work has started on a new £16m swimming pool and leisure complex on the seafront in South Shields. Designed by LA Architects, the complex will be located on the town's former Majestic and Quasar Laser site and will be delivered by construction firm GRAHAM. Facilities will include a 25m, eight-lane competition pool and an 18m x 8m teaching pool - both with

Glasgow Life has announced that the new £74m Riverside Museum, which will be home to the city's transport and technology collections, is to officially open on 21 June. The new Zaha Hadid-designed attraction is to be launched by Glasgow City Council (GCC) leader Gordon Matheson and will house around 3,000 exhibits across 150 displays. GCC has invested nearly £51m in the development of the new Riverside Museum, which is the

A ceremony has been held to mark the topping out of the new £19m National BMX Indoor Arena, which is currently being developed in Manchester. BMX World Champion Shanaze Reade helped celebrate the latest milestone for the project, which will include a 2,000-seat venue and a new headquarters for British Cycling. The new arena will house the UK's first purpose-built covered BMX track and will form a new National Cycling

Ethnic food producer East End Foods has commenced work on the first phase of a £35m mixed-use development at the former HP Sauce factory site in Aston Cross, Birmingham. A 100,000sq ft (9,290sq m) wholesale cash and carry and distribution centre will comprise Stage One of the scheme, which will cost £9m and will create 95 jobs. The first phase also boasts a 30,000sq ft (2,787sq m) Urban Farm and

Cornwall Council is to invest up to £120,000 in order to move forward with plans for a new multi-million pound stadium development near Truro. A provisional feasibility study has already earmarked Langarth Farm, Threemilestone, as the preferred site for the Miller Partnership-designed venue, which is set to cost around £24m. Cornwall Council appointed Gardiner and Theobald to undertake the Stadium for Cornwall study, which has proposed a 10,000-seat venue with

Plans for a redevelopment of the Tropicana site in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, appear to have collapsed after the last remaining bidder withdrew from the scheme. Last month, the Nightingale Group was awarded exclusive rights to develop the seafront site by North Somerset Council (NSC) after Havard Tisdale withdrew its bid in January. The Nightingale Group - working alongside FaulknerBrowns Architects, Serco and DTZ - had proposed a new indoor adventure water

A new 5-acre (2-hectare) 'Lost River' park is to be established under new proposals for the mixed-use redevelopment of the Earls Court site in London. Terry Farrell and Partners are behind the masterplan for the 77-acre (31-hectare) site, which is now due to go before local residents as part of a public consultation. The proposals have been drawn up on behalf of three landowners - Transport for London; Hammersmith and

Efforts to secure the future of a historic 1930s lido in Saltdean, East Sussex, have received a boost after it was confirmed that the property's listing is to be upgraded to Grade II* status. Save Saltdean Lido is working to safeguard the site as a multi-use community leisure facility, with London-based architects Conran and Partners working on the scheme. The campaign group had sought a review of the lido's listing

Leeds City Council (LCC) and Phys-Cap representatives will gather with schoolchildren on 24 March to mark the start of work on a new playground at Temple Newsam. The majority of funding for the Phys-Cap Play Area has been secured by the charity, which has designed the facility in partnership with the local authority. Children of all abilities will be able to use the new playground, which will feature a sensory

A new floating spa - Bota Bota - has been unveiled by entrepreneurs Geneviève and Natalie Émond at the Quays of the Old Port of Montréal, Canada. Sid Lee Architecture were behind the design of the spa, which has involved the rejuvenation of a former 1950s era ferry and offers facilities spread across five decks. Lower decks are divided into more than 20 treatment rooms and Bota Chic - a

The National Army Museum (NAM) has appointed Event Communications to deliver a master plan for the five-year transformation of the attraction. Event will work with NAM on the physical and operational redevelopment of NAM, including programming, audience development, educational outreach, collections and research strategy. The plan will form the centre piece of the museum's strategy to establish itself as a "world-class museum experience" and includes the redesign of two major

A new £1.2m 'green' visitor centre at Wat Tyler Country Park in Pitsea, Essex, is to open in April after it was revealed that construction work was nearing completion. Forest Gate Construction started work on the Laurie Wood-designed venue in November, which has seen part of the old Motorboat Museum transformed. Designed to be as energy efficient as possible, the new visitor centre will feature a range of sustainable construction

Emergent, the Los Angeles, US-based architectural practice, has been selected to design the new Civic Sports Centre and 2013 National Games Arena in Shenyang, China. Located adjacent to the city's Zhongshan Park, the 123,000sq m (1.3 million sq ft) complex has been designed for a range of uses and will "connect" the city's urban and natural life. The National Games Arena will feature a series of multi-level entrances and 2,000

Interior design solutions provider Tom Hoch has been selected to deliver the refurbishment of Glen Oaks Country Club's clubhouse in West Des Moines, Iowa, US. Using its 'revenue-based' design model, the clubhouse revamp will deliver improvements to space planning in a bid to enhance members' experience and operational efficiency. Hoch said: "This renovation truly breaks the mold of traditional clubhouse programming and design with innovative interior design changes creatively woven