Contract signed for £5.49 million Mountbatten Centre funding

A major £20 million development of the Mountbatten Centre into a 21st century flagship sporting facility took a major step forward this week with the signing of a £5.49 million contract with Sport England.

Last month Portsmouth councillors gave the final go ahead for the new-look sports complex which will provide top class community facilities for sports-lovers across the city.

Sport England is contributing £5.49m towards the total £19.955m cost of the scheme, with the council paying the rest. Under the terms of the Sport England funding, the council would have to return up to £2.49m if the Pyramids Centre on Southsea seafront is sold.

The council has bid for Portsmouth to become a pre-Olympic Games camp for 2012 - with the planned facilities at the Mountbatten Centre holding the potential key to hosting some or all of a national team.

Work on the new 50 metre swimming pool is starting at the Mountbatten Centre on Monday 7 January 2008, to the south of the main building on an existing car park.

Cllr Terry Hall, the council's Executive Member for Culture and Leisure, said: "This is fantastic news for the city and will go a long way towards our vision of a healthier Portsmouth.

"We have also just completed our contractual arrangements with Broadwater Leisure Ltd - one of the main local authority leisure management contractors in the country - to ensure the project is delivered on time and within budget.

"The new centre will create a focus for sport and fitness which will be the envy of our neighbours, and is a great boost for the city's regeneration. It's brilliant to think that by the summer of 2009 we are going to have a much-needed new swimming pool and other superb community sports facilities for the whole city to be proud of.

"Work on the new gymnastics centre is already well under way, and should be completed by the end of January.

"This redevelopment will bring major investment into existing facilities, including the main sports hall and the athletics and cycling tracks. It will provide a superb multi-sport village, linked to a sustainable network of other community sports facilities across the city - such as Admiral Lord Nelson, St Luke's and Priory Schools and Highbury College.

"The existing facilities will remain open during the work and disruption will hopefully be kept to a minimum."

Around 85% of the new eight-lane pool will be available for community use.  Divided by a moveable boom into two community pools - one with a moveable floor so it can have different depths, including one suitable for children or other learners - there will also be a 12.5m separate teaching pool.