Westminster City Council has unveiled designs for its new £4.3m eco-friendly sport and community centre in Paddington, London.

The centre, called Little Venice Sports Centre, will replace the Westminster Children's Sports Centre which closed in 2006. The new building will use sustainable materials including a sedum roof to improve temperatures inside the centre – acting as insulation in the winter and preventing some heat absorption in the summer.

Councillor Audrey Lewis, cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods, said: "The new centre will become 'The Centre of Excellence for Physical Activity' as it will focus on training, educating and developing coaches, volunteers and staff within the sport and leisure centre.

"We want to eradicate health inequalities in Westminster and this centre will provide residents, schools and businesses access to a high-spec centre which will provide first class sports and leisure facilities."

The facility, designed by Brighton-based LCE Architects will feature a four badminton court sports hall, a multi-use dance and exercise studio, and a 30-station fitness suite. The centre will also include an IT training suite with cameras to monitor and analyse athletes' agility and durability to help identify training needs, and a mini satellite library.

The £4.3m scheme which will create more leisure activities for the community includes more than £1.6m in external funding from Sport England, Skills Active, Big Lottery Fund and John Lyon’s Charity Trust.

The initial steel framework foundation has been completed allowing for structural work to progress. The new centre is expected to open in spring 2009.