A groundbreaking ceremony is to be held on 18 February to mark the start of construction work on the new multi-million pound Leeds Arena.

BAM Construction has been selected to build the Populous-designed venue, having already carried out preparatory work at the Claypit Lane site. When complete, the venue will be able to accommodate 13,500 spectators and is designed to ensure seats are no more than 68m (223ft) from the centre of the stage.

Leeds City Council executive member responsible for city development Richard Lewis said: "This is a very exciting phase of what is a hugely important £60m construction project for Leeds. "The arena will bring an additional one million visitors to the city, add around £25.5m per year to the city's economy and create around 450 construction jobs, as well as a number of apprenticeship and work experience opportunities."

In December, however, developer Montpellier Estates filed a claim for deceit against the council with regards to the procurement of the venue. Image: Populous