Construction work has begun on the site of the UK’s largest PFI contract to date.

The £35m contract between management company DC Leisure and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council will result in a new central leisure centre being built in the town. as well as two dual-use facilities at Wath and Aston.

St Ann’s Central Rotherham Pool will comprise a 25m, six-lane swimming pool with a movable floor, 25m leisure and teaching pool with river runs and flumes, six-court sports hall, squash courts, health and fitness suites and a climbing wall.

The dual-use facilities, located on or adjacent to secondary school sites at Aston and Wath, will include a main pool and learner pool, fitness suite and sports hall, while a further site at Maltby will boast a 25m, six-lane swimming pool with moveable floor, diving pool, sports hall and fitness suite.

Peter Kirkham, development and PFI director at DC Leisure, said: “This event marks another important milestone in the development of the project and helps us move significantly closer towards our ultimate goal of delivering quality leisure programming in partnership with the local council.”

It is anticipated that the leisure facilities will attract one million visits per year.

Funding for the scheme came via a £25m PFI grant from the DCMS and the Department for Communities and Local Government. Additional funding came from the Lottery’s New Opportunities Fund, the Rotherham Primary Care Trust and the council.