University of Edinburgh has launched its new £4.8m, three-storey gym extension which will provide around 1,900sq m of additional sports conditioning and physical activity space.

The new three-storey building on the site of an old brewery incorporates below-ground vaults, which were once used to store kegs of beer and have not been open since being used as air raid shelters during World War II.

The revamp means that Pleasance Sports Complex is now one of the largest independent gym complexes in Scotland with a combined total of 6,000sq m of activity space.

Facilities at the club have been divided into four separate areas.

Below ground, two original arched vaults have been transformed to increase the centre's capacity for bench weights.

The basement level houses a new 287sq m Performance Gym, an area specifically designed as a high performance room and only accessible for accredited members - such as the University's performance athletes, who are at international standard in sports like swimming, archery, rowing and hockey.

The room features deck level free weights platforms, a plyometric exercise lane and a rebound wall.

The ground level encompasses a new 330sq m body conditioning gym equipped by Precor.

The perimeter of the room is surrounded with 25 Precor AMT's and 10 Precor upright bikes while the centre hosts 15 'CSE my-pod' stations. Each individual area is equipped with light studio weights, fit balls and medicine balls, allowing members to keep within their own area whilst exercising.

There is also an open-plan, 367sq m studio on the first floor, which is used to host the club's range of workshops and dance and exercise classes.

The existing 100-station cv and circuit gyms have retained their original usage and have both been incorporated in the redesign and updated with the new colours and new equipment.

The 389sq m cv gym now features Precor branding, as well as 35 Precor treadmills, 32 EFX crosstrainers, five additional AMT's, five steppers and recumbent and upright bikes, all with Personal Viewing Screens, showing CSEtv.

Jim Aitken, director of the Centre of Sport and Exercise at The University of Edinburgh said: "Being housed in an 18th century listed building meant the original gym facilities were spread over a number of small rooms that were inaccessible and somewhat fragmented, and certainly not linked in a customer focused way.

"Our new building extension has allowed us to rationalise and expand our provision, which has transformed our sport and exercise offer."