Interserve will start work in April on the University of Birmingham's new £55 million sports centre, housing the first 50 metre swimming pool in Birmingham.

The sports centre, which will be open to students, staff and the wider community, is being funded by a £2 million grant from Sport England, plus donations from alumni and friends of the University. It will also feature an arena sports hall with seating for up to 900 spectators, six squash courts, six activity rooms for a wide range of sport and fitness classes, a 225 station gym and other facilities.

Director of Sport for the University of Birmingham, Zena Wooldridge said: "This is a large and complex project, which is the culmination of many years of planning and design. We're very excited that construction is now about to start. The new facilities, and opportunities they will house, will be a game-changer for the University, both in raising its profile as a leading UK sporting University, and in its provision for the local and regional community."

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The 13,200sqm development will also boast a purpose-designed Wellbeing and Performance Centre, making it one of the UK's leading indoor sports centres.

Interserve Construction has a ten-year relationship with the University of Birmingham and a number of Civil Engineering graduates now work for the business.

Managing Director of Interserve Construction, Ian Renhard, commented: "This is a very important project for both the University and the City of Birmingham. For Interserve it is great to be able to be part of shaping the future of sport in the city. Having had a long-standing relationship with the University, it is equally rewarding to see our graduates given an opportunity to be part of the construction of this fantastic new facility."

(CD)