Plymouth City Council has approved international construction firm Balfour Beatty as the main contractor for the city's £46.5m Life Centre project.

The green light was awarded following a detailed evaluation of five bids. Contracts are due to be signed and workers are expected to move on to the Central Park site at the beginning of February, following a statutory standstill period.

Council leader Vivien Pengelly said: “Awarding this contract will mark the last crucial milestone in laying the groundwork for the Life Centre and we are really excited to be at this stage in the project.

"Plymouth has waited a long time for a top class leisure facility and with the start of work just around the corner, that dream is finally starting to become a reality.”

As previously reported in Leisure Opportunities, facilities at the new leisure complex will include a family leisure pool with flumes, beach entry and a bubble pool, a climbing zone with a 15m (49.2ft) wall and aerial assault course, an eight-lane bowls centre and a 12-court multi-use sports hall.

A 150-station fitness suite, a 10-lane, 50m swimming pool with moveable floors and submersible boom, a diving pool, a dryside training facility for elite divers, multi-purpose areas for dance and martial arts and a youth gym, also form part of the plans, as well as a sauna, a steamroom and changing facilities.

The centre is scheduled to completed by September next year.