Portsmouth City Council has appointed Broadwater Leisure to redevelop and manage the Mountbatten Centre and manage the adjacent Gymnastic Centre on a 25-year contract.

Existing facilities at Mountbatten will be overhauled to include a new 50m, eight-lane swimming pool and a 12.5m teaching pool, with a wet side changing village and 200-seat pool viewing area.

The health and fitness offering will feature a new 150-station fitness suite as well as a new and relocated health suite with separate health and fitness changing facilities.

The existing sports hall will benefit from a new semi-sprung floor and improved lighting, while the athletics and cycle tracks will be resurfaced and a new dance studio, function room and club rooms will also be built.

A new entrance and reception area and refurbished catering area will complete the redevelopment and reflect the new leisure brand.

Work on site by Kier Southern has started, with a view to completing the centre by summer 2009, in time to host pre-games events being held in preparation of the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

The Gymnastics Centre will open in February to replace the former Pitt Street Gym.

In addition, Parkwood Leisure – part of Broadwater’s bidding consortium – has signed a 10-year management contract with the city council to operate Victoria Swimming Centre; Pyramids Centre; Wimbledon Park Sports Centre; Eastney Swimming Pool; St Lukes School Community Sports Centre; Portsmouth Indoor Tennis Centre; Hilsea Lido and Blue Lagoon and Grove Club Splashpool.

Cllr Terry Hall, executive member for Culture and Leisure, said: “We will be working closely with Parkwood Community Leisure to increase participation in physical activity and boost fitness levels, as well as achieving the significant health benefits generated from regular exercise.

“We also want to ensure that our talented athletes are able to realise their full potential. Access to our excellent facilities could be vital in enabling Portsmouth athletes to win Gold in 2012.”

The city council’s leisure sites were formerly managed by DC Leisure.