Lancaster City Council has given the go ahead for a new £20m sports centre to be built at the Lancaster University.

To be built on the university's pavilion near to the rugby pitches, the new centre will be accessible to staff, students, schools, and the local community.

Construction work is to begin in September 2008 with an opening date planned for spring 2010.

Facilities at the centre include a 25m, eight-lane swimming pool with a moveable floor, an eight-court sports hall, a 10m climbing wall, four squash courts and a multi-use dance studio.

There will also be a health and fitness club offering a 90-station gym with resistance and cv areas as well as free weights and stretching areas.

More than two years in the planning, the centre will replace the existing sports pavilion which opened in 1967.

Director of Sport Kim Montgomery said: "The new centre will be a great facility for everyone to enjoy.

"We have 13,000 people each week through our doors, half of which are non–university users and the centre provides weekly swimming tuition to 1,000 children.

"The centre also runs junior football, badminton, climbing, judo and trampolining classes and vacation sports camps for eight to 14-year-olds."