02/02/2010

Diggers are not expected to move in until mid-March, but bosses from contractor Balfour Beatty were set to join council leader Vivien Pengelly today in cutting the first turf.

The firm – one of the world's biggest construction companies – won the tender for the £46.5million Life Centre last month, and finally put pen to paper yesterday.

That means hoardings will start going up around the Central Park site later this week, before temporary accommodation and facilities are shipped in for the workers who will bring the state-of-the-art facility to life.

Building work will swing into action next month, although no date has yet been set.

It includes the demolition of the Mayflower Centre and Central Park Leisure Pools when the new Life Centre opens in 2011, as well as the demolition of the skate park, which is being replaced by a new one nearby.

Speaking as the ink was still drying on the contract, Mrs Pengelly said: "This is such an exciting day for the council and for the people of Plymouth, who have waited a long time for a top-class sport and leisure facility to be built in the city.

"The Life Centre is our biggest investment in leisure facilities and we are proud of the hard work that has gone into ensuring it will benefit people of all ages and all sporting abilities.

"It will offer something for everyone, from training sessions for our most talented sportsmen and women to beginners' fitness classes; from mother and toddler swimming lessons to disability bowls.

"We look forward to seeing work start on what is one of the city's most eagerly awaited and exciting projects in many years."

Scheduled to finish in September next year, the Life Centre will include first-rate swimming and diving facilities, a climbing zone, bowls centre, sports hall, fitness suite, sauna, dance areas and much more.

Balfour Beatty, which is also involved in building the Aquatics Centre for the London 2012 Olympics, last night said its Life Centre construction team would be largely made up of local labourers and suppliers.

Divisional managing director Neil Sherreard added: "The ceremonial turf-cutting marks the end of a long road and the beginning of a new one.

"All the plans are now in place and we are looking forward to working on a facility that will provide a wide range of leisure activities for everyone in Plymouth to enjoy. Very shortly the city will start to see the long-awaited Life Centre leisure complex literally coming to life."