Morgan Sindall Construction's North East division has officially broken ground on the Outer West Leisure Centre, a new £20 million facility being delivered for Newcastle City Council. Procured through the Pagabo framework, the development is designed to function as a central hub for health, sport, and essential local services.

The extensive facility will feature a sports hall, a gymnasium, a library, and office spaces. Aquatic provisions include a competition pool, training pools, two swimming pools equipped with moveable floors, a splash pad, and a sauna and steam room.

Sustainability is a key component of the project, with the design incorporating photovoltaic (PV) panels, bike storage, and electric vehicle charging points within the new parking areas. Furthermore, Morgan Sindall has pledged that 87% of the project spend will be directed toward local SMEs within a 30-mile radius.

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Social value initiatives are already active, with five local roles filled and two positions created for work starters. The contractor's commitment includes 150 apprenticeship weeks, two six-week paid placements, four two-week work trials, and various school engagement and site visit programmes.

Community investment has also seen an £11,000 donation to a council art project for a nearby underpass, alongside £2,000 in materials and 20 hours of volunteering to support a local bowling club.

Carl Maddison, Project Manager for Morgan Sindall at Outer West Leisure Centre, said: "Building communities is a central tenet to the work we do, and the scheme at Outer West Leisure Centre is a great opportunity, in collaboration with Newcastle County Council, to demonstrate the capability we have as a Tier-one contractor to deliver a future-proof community hub, but also to provide robust social value in all forms within the local environment."

Newcastle City Council's Director of Public Health, Alice Wiseman, said: "I am incredibly excited that work has started on the leisure centre and swimming pool at West Denton. It will offer residents first class health and leisure facilities as well as a new library substantially improving their quality of life. It's taken a lot of hard work and some dedicated partnership working to get to this stage, but I am thrilled that Morgan Sindall have now commenced the construction phase and I look forward with hope and optimism that the centre will be completed in late 2027."

The project officially broke ground on 12 March and is currently scheduled for completion in winter 2027.