THIS is how the main pool of Blackburn town centre’s new £13.5million sports and swimming complex will look when it opens in early 2015.

Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council and Blackburn College have released the first image of their vision for the new aquatic centre which will replace the ageing Waves Water fun facility.

The main contractor, a major multinational developer, has been signed but cannot be announced yet due to legal reasons. They will begin building on the gravel area next to Feilden Street multi-storey car park next month.

The joint project with Blackburn College will include: n A six lane, 25-metre pool with two leisure slides; n A 15 by seven metre small training pool; n An 80-station fitness suite; n A dance/aerobics studio with a sprung floor; n A health suite with sauna and steam room; n Two four-court sports halls for college use in class hours and public use from 5pm and during weekends and holidays; n A sports science lab for college use.

The sports halls, fitness and squash areas will be ready for use by students and the public by September 2014 and the swimming pools will open in early 2015. The new complex will have no wave machine unlike the 26-year-old pool it replaces leading to warnings from families living outside the borough that its loss means they are unlikely to visit in future.

Waves will be demolished and the site sold for development by the council.

Blackburn college director Wendy Simms said: “The new sport centre will not only be a massive boost to our sports department, but to the entire college who will be able to use these state-of-the-art facilities.

“The new images that have been released look amazing and the centre will be a fantastic addition to our £65m student village.”

Council leisure chief Damian Talbot said: “The images of the new leisure centre are simply stunning. This amazing new facility will keep people healthy and active and the new slides look lots of fun too.”

Whilst the centre is being built, Blackburn Youth Zone will provide college students with access to its gym, sports hall, exercise studio and 3G rooftop football pitch.

The scheme, partly-based on Darwen Leisure Centre, will halve running costs leading to lower prices for swimmers and other users.