Speller Metcalfe has appointed Parkwood Leisure as the main contractor for the £14m Tarka Leisure Centre development in Barnstaple, Devon, UK.

This is the second Speller Metcalfe project awarded to Parkwood Leisure, who also developed the £3.6m leisure centre in the Leicestershire village of Broughton Astley.

The company is expected to commence work in Barnstaple later this year.

Replacing the old North Devon Leisure Centre on the Seven Brethren industrial estate, Tarka Leisure Centre will be constructed adjacent to Tarka Tennis. The building was designed by Watson Batty Architects.

It will feature a 25m, eight-lane swimming pool and a 20m trainer pool. These two pools will have moveable floors that enable the pools to touch depths of up to 1.8m.

This facility will allow the leisure centre to offer lifeguard training facilities and accommodate other sports such as water polo, funded partly by the Coastal Communities Fund and National Lottery grants through Sport England.

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The centre will also feature an ‘endless’ ski slope in a room that will be built inside-to-out. This will be equipped by a specialist contractor.

Other facilities will include a sports hall, gym, three fitness studios, indoor soft play, café and a reception area.

The project is expected to be completed in early 2022.

Speller Metcalfe regional director Rob Lashford said: “With solid experience in the leisure sector, Speller Metcalfe is delighted to be delivering our second scheme for Parkwood Leisure.”

Parkwood Leisure managing director Glen Hall said: “After a successful partnership working together on the brand new facility at Broughton Astley Leisure Centre, we’re delighted to be working with Speller Metcalfe again at Barnstaple leisure centre. It’s an exciting development and we’re looking forward to see what we can achieve in providing state-of-the-art leisure facilities for the local community.”