A new £17m sports centre under construction at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) in Preston is set to be named after former footballer Sir Tom Finney.

The venue, which will be called the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre, will honour of the former England player, who played more than 400 games for Preston North End over a 14-year spell at the club. Facilities at the complex will include a sprung-timber floor sports hall with seating for more than 300 people, a number of activity studios, squash courts, changing rooms and multi-purpose areas. The new venue, which is currently being built on the former Marsh building site adjacent to Leighton Street and Marsh Lane, is set to open in January 2011.

Finney, who is also a honorary fellow of UCLAN, said: "I am delighted to have the building named after me and to help put Preston and UCLAN on the sporting map." UCLAN academic director of sport Dr Adrian Ibbeston added: "The centre will serve the health and fitness needs of the students and provide an excellent competition venue for our Students' Union clubs."