Building work on a £30million leisure centre in County Down, Northern Ireland, will begin early next month (February 2017).

The complex will offer a range of sports, recreation and family leisure facilities, including a six-lane gala pool, 20-metre teaching pool (both with moveable floors), water splash play and paddling pool, spa area, six-court sports hall, fitness suite, dance, cycle, spin studios, indoor soft play and café area.

It will also have an outdoor covered sports pitch, outdoor adventure play area, skate park provision and mountain bike area. 

The centre in Newtownards will replace the town's existing leisure centre and is due to open at the end of 2018.

 Stephen Reid, Ards and North Down Borough Council chief executive, said: “This is an exciting and much anticipated development for the borough. The new leisure centre represents a very significant investment in high-quality sport and leisure facilities for people of all ages and will contribute much to our overall objective of promoting the health and wellbeing of residents. 

"The features that will be included have been shaped by consultation with user groups and will complement the facilities available at Bangor Aurora Aquatic and Leisure Complex, Londonderry Park and across the wider borough.”