It comes just a few weeks after the company was appointed for over £50 million of work to create the Middlesbrough Sports Village and Wycombe Sports Centre, and it is the latest project in Oldham following the successful programme to build three academies.

The Oldham Sports Centre will be located at the junction of Manchester Street and St Domingo Street and aims to attract major regional sporting competitions and televised events.

Features include:

• A 25-metre eight-lane swimming pool of county-level competition standard;
• 250 spectator seating gallery to the main pool;
• 150-competitor seats at pool side;
• Sauna and steam room;
• Eight-court sports hall including flexible seating for 500 people;
• 80-station fitness studio;
• Four-rink indoor bowls hall;

The centre will also act as a physical bridge linking Oldham College to Oldham Sixth Form College, helping to deliver the council’s vision for a coherent campus site with first-class facilities.

Councillor Jim McMahon, Oldham Council Leader, said: “Local people have been waiting a long time for new facilities in Oldham and residents are beginning to see a number of ambitious developments taking shape – like the cinema-led complex at the Old Town Hall. A new state-of-the-art flagship leisure facility for Oldham is an important piece of the regeneration jigsaw coming together."

Willmott Dixon has also signed up to the Get Oldham Working Construction Charter which seeks to link physical regeneration projects to employment and training opportunities for local residents and supply chain opportunities for local businesses.

Councillor Jim McMahon continued, “We are delighted that Willmott Dixon has signed up to the Construction Charter to support our Get Oldham Working campaign by ensuring local residents and businesses benefit from investment in the borough.”

Willmott Dixon managing director in its Oldham office, Anthony Dillon, said: “As a local business we are delighted to be working with Oldham Council to deliver what will be a fantastic facility and significantly contribute towards the ongoing regeneration of the town centre. As with all our projects we have delivered in Oldham, we will be working closely with the council to ensure we maximise the local economic benefit in terms of local labour, subcontractors and suppliers.”

The current Oldham Sports Centre, on Lord Street, will not close until the new facility is complete – set to be Autumn 2015 – to ensure there is no break in service. Earlier this year Oldham Council also revealed proposals for a new £8 million Royton leisure facility – which will be located on Byron Street. Work is set to begin on this facility later this year and expected to open Autumn 2015.