Ambitious plans to give Southampton Outdoor Sports Centre a £30m upgrade have taken another step forward.
Three months after granting planning permission for the scheme, the city council has appointed Morgan Sindall as the contractor that will design and develop the new-look centre.
The complex will boast a community hub with changing and refreshment facilities, a gym, and an indoor tennis/netball hall.
Other new facilities due to spring up on the site include an alpine sports centre, an athletics clubhouse and grandstand, and a woodland car park.
The council leader, Cllr Satvir Kaur, said Morgan Sindall had a proven track record when it came to delivering schemes in partnership with the authority.
She added: "The regeneration plans mean we can help put Southampton on the map, with state-of-the-art facilities and hosting regional and national competitions.
"It will also significantly help improve health inequalities often felt by our most deprived communities, and create many new jobs and opportunities for local people.”
READ MORE: Work on plan to transform Southampton Outdoor Sports Centre set to start next year
Cliff Kinch, area director for Morgan Sindall, said: "We are incredibly proud to play our part in improving the health and wellbeing of people in Southampton by delivering a state-of-the-art sports centre which will breathe fresh life into the city and encourage untold numbers of people to stay fit and active.
“We can’t wait to help the council deliver on its promise of creating such an inclusive, outstanding asset that will benefit everyone in the community now and for years to come.”
Planning permission for the scheme was granted in the summer.
Speaking at the time a council spokesperson said: "Since the opening of the sports centre in 1938 there have been some changes, modifications and improvements made to the facility.
"However, it was recognised that there was a clear requirement for a future vision to be established to develop key areas."
READ MORE: Widespread support for £30m project to upgrade Southampton Outdoor Sports Centre
As reported in the Daily Echo, the scheme has attracted widespread support across the city.
In a letter to the council, Friends of Southampton Sports Centre (FoSSC), says: "Improvement is long overdue and very much needed, the site having suffered decades of neglect.
"Modern, future-proofed facilities that will last a generation are essential.
"The general health of the city population is poor and every opportunity to provide a wide variety of formal and informal exercise activities is essential."
As reported, the council has been awarded £20m from the Levelling Up Fund to help finance the project.
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