Rochdale Borough Council has appointed a contractor to design and build the new leisure centre in Rochdale town centre.

Willmott Dixon Construction, who have also worked with the council on St Anne's Academy in Middleton, have been appointed to deliver the £10.8m project and work is now underway to submit a full planning application later this month.

Plans for the new centre include two swimming pools, a sports hall and a large fitness gym along with a youth gym and dance studios. Work is due to start on site in November.

Executive director at Rochdale Council, John Patterson, said: "This will be a fantastic sports venue for Rochdale residents providing much better pools, gyms and studios in a modern environment. It's vital that we provide residents of all ages with great facilities for keeping fit and I'm delighted that we've now got a contractor on board so we can move to the detailed design stage."

The new centre, scheduled to open in 2012, is to be built just yards from the existing building on Entwisle Road, which dates back to the 1930s. It will be managed by Link4Life, providers of sport, leisure and cultural services for the Borough of Rochdale.

Said Link4Life Managing Director, Craig McAteer: "The Rochdale centre is the final major project in a three-year programme of investment that brings modern, high quality facilities to the the borough. It will transform the services available to local people."

Willmott Dixon have more than 25 years of experience in delivering leisure and culture facilities and in the last decade have built over 100 pools and 70 leisure facilities. One of their most recent projects is the international pool in Corby which will be a training venue in the run up to the 2012 London Olympics.

Willmott Dixon Managing Director for the North West, Anthony Dillon, said: "It's great news to be involved in another project in Rochdale. Most of our team live locally and this project will give local firms the opportunity to be involved in delivering a fantastic leisure facility that is another key element of the regeneration of the town centre. As one of the UK's most prolific constructors of leisure facilities, we look forward to using our skills and knowledge to create something that will have a lasting benefit to the local community."

And Council Leader Irene Davidson, said: "At a time when the council, like many others in the region, is having to take difficult decisions to make necessary efficiency savings, it's important that we keep our focus on providing great facilities for residents, and keep moving Rochdale forward.

"With the Sixth Form College opening, funding for the Metrolink extension from the train station into the town centre now guaranteed, the new transport interchange site cleared and work starting on the Smith Street site of the new Municipal Offices, there's a great deal going on in Rochdale which will transform what it offers residents and visitors. It's an exciting time and I'm delighted that we're forging ahead with these new projects."