Portsmouth City Council has named Broadwater Leisure as its preferred bidder to develop the city’s Mountbatten sports centre.

The £20m redevelopment project will be based on the construction of a new 50m community swimming pool.

Other facilities at the renovated centre will include a 12.5m teaching pool, a new 150-station health and fitness suite, a dedicated wetside changing facility, poolside accommodation and offices – including a 200-capacity viewing area overlooking the pool hall.

The council aims to make the renovated Mountbatten Centre the hub of a sustainable network of community sports facilities across Portsmouth.

The centre will also be at the heart of the city’s bid to host a pre-Games camp prior to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The council will now enter into a period of detailed consultation which it hopes will lead to a contract being signed for the Mountbatten Centre later this year.

During this period, Broadwater will finalise the design of the building and make an application for detailed planning permission.

According to the council, work is scheduled to commence on site before the end of the year, with completion and an opening date due in the summer of 2009.

Barbara Thompson, the council’s strategic director for economy, culture and community safety, said: "The Mountbatten Centre facility will be fully accessible to the whole community. The new and upgraded facilities will provide a vibrant range of facilities offering everyone the opportunity to take an active part in sport and physical activity.

“We also want to ensure that our talented athletes are able to realise their full potential. The Council will be working very closely with Broadwater Leisure to increase participation by residents so that they enjoy the significant health benefits generated from regular exercise."

Broadwater, a wholly owned subsidiary of Parkwood Project Management, is a consortium of companies that have joined together specifically to bid for the council’s Mountbatten Centre redevelopment project.

The Broadwater team includes Parkwood Project Management, Parkwood Leisure (Leisure Management), Kier Regional (Builders), and Saunders (Architects).