THIS is the first look inside Hampshire’s newest multi-million pound leisure centre.

The Daily Echo was a given a sneak preview of the £25m Fleming Park Leisure Centre to see the latest progress, one year after work started.

The giant sports hall – believed to be the third biggest in the country – will house 15 badminton courts.

A beech wood floor is ready to be laid and will be marked out for various other sports including basketball, volleyball and netball.

Work started in May last year and is due to take up to 18 months to complete.

Project manager Gareth Drake, pictured, said: “This will raise our profile. I think people will travel here to use the centre.”

An eight-lane swimming pool has been created on the ground floor near a learner pool with a floor depth that can be altered depending on use.

From the first floor parents will be able to watch their children swimming and enjoy the view of the new green area that is set to be created outside.

There will also be a 150-station gym, ballet studio and spin studio.

The new centre will be family friendly, with a crèche and soft play area incorporating party rooms and there will be a café with outside seats.

Outside, the full-size all-weather pitch and five-a-side pitches will be retained and refurbished and four new tennis courts will be opened.

Once the new centre is open, the old one will be demolished and turned into green space and car parking.

An opening date has not been set yet but a borough council spokesperson said: “We are now just over a year into the build programme for the replacement for Fleming Park Leisure Centre, which is currently running to schedule.

“We’ll announce a firm opening date as we get closer to completion.”