Work has officially started on a £13.5m sports and swimming complex in Blackburn town centre, which is being built to replace the area's ageing Waves Water Fun Centre.

The development is part of a partnership between Blackburn with Darwen Council and Blackburn College, with Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen Salim Mulla and Blackburn College chairman of governors Phil Watson both present at the site as they broke the ground to signal the start of work on the project.

The new leisure facility will feature a six-lane swimming pool, an 80-station fitness centre, a sport performance lab and a dance studio. The area's other existing leisure facility – the Waves Water Fun Centre – will be demolished by the council.

The development underwent a planning permission approval process earlier this year, with hopes of work being completed by 2015.

More information on the project is available here