A new £33m modular leisure complex, housing an Olympic-sized swimming pool, has been given the green light by Derby+City+Council'>Derby City Council.

Designed by FaulknerBrowns Architects, the centre will include a 10-lane, 50m swimming pool; a leisure water area for families; a learner pool; health club; fitness studios; a sauna; steam rooms; a café and a soft play area.

The main, Olympic-sized pool will have a flexible design, featuring two booms and two moving floors, allowing it to be divided into three separate 25m swimming spaces.

Baggy Shanker, Derby City Council’s lead on the Swimming Pool Complex, said: “The new centre will be a game changer for swimming in Derby.

“These plans will deliver for Derby’s communities and help make Derby a great place to live, work and visit.”

The modular design of the complex is based on two separate aspects – a ‘wet’ box and a ‘dry’ box.

According to FaulknerBrowns, the natural context “provides the opportunity to create a leisure destination where visitors can be active in an uplifting natural setting.”

Michael Hall, partner at FaulknerBrowns Architects, said: “The new facility has been designed to respect the sensitive site context while creating a strong and inviting visual presence which draws inspiration from the city’s proud engineering heritage.”