Construction work is set to begin later this spring on a £38m leisure centre and 50m swimming pool in Winchester.

Designed by LA Architects, the Winchester Sport & Leisure Centre will house a 50m swimming pool, teaching pool and splash area, a health club with a 200-station gym floor, two large studios and an indoor cycling studio.

Sports facilities include a multi-use sports hall, squash courts and climbing wall.

There will also be a day spa with a hydrotherapy suite and eight treatment rooms.

The design brief for the centre – which will be owned by Winchester City Council (WCC) – includes making it "as sustainable as possible" and the council is aiming for an excellent BREEAM rating.

Sustainable features to be included in the design will include air source heat pumps, solar panels and a combined heat and power system.

The centre – which will replace the ageing River Park Leisure Centre – is set to open in early 2021 and WCC has revealed that it has appointed Everyone Active to manage the facility.

Lisa Griffiths, WCC portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said Everyone Active's experience in managing leisure centres with 50m swimming pools was a deciding factor in it securing the contract.

“We are looking forward to working closely with Everyone Active over the coming months and years to develop excellent health and wellbeing programmes that are tailored to the needs of our residents," she said.

Places Leisure, who has worked in partnership with WCC to run River Park Leisure Centre for the past 26 years, will continue to provide services until the new building opens in early 2021.

Winchester Sport & Leisure Centre will be developed with financial support from Hampshire County Council, the Pinder Trust, and the University of Winchester.