Work Starts on £46m Life Centre

A 20 year dream to create World-class sporting and leisure facilites in Plymouth has now turned in to a reality.

Hundreds of skilled workers will start moving on to Pellow's Field in front of Home Park to start work on the new life centre.

LISTEN HERE: Council Leader Vivian Pengelly

By September 2011 it's hoped the city will have created a masterpiece which will not only meet the needs of the city but attract small countries competing in the 2012 London Olympics to use as a training base.

It will offer afordable sessions aimed at increasing participation in sports and improving the general health & fitness of local residents.

LISTEN HERE: Neil Sherreard Balfour Beatty

The Life Centre will include:

• 50 x 25m swimming pool
• 25 x 16m diving pool
• dryside diving facility
• climbing area with aerial experience
• eight-rink bowls facility
• 12-court sports hall
• fitness suite with 150 stations
• health suite
• multipurpose space and dance studio
• crèche; soft play and café area.

Paul Weston, director at Archial, said: "Our vision is that the Life Centre will become a strong visual landmark to draw all members of the community together to experience a wide range of sporting and leisure activities.

"The interior will be stimulating with splashes of colour to guide you around."

Once work has been completed demolition of the outdated The Mayflower Centre and Central Park leisure pools will start.