£55m Birmingham sports centre delayed

THE £55m sports centre being built by the University of Birmingham has been delayed again, with the opening put back until December.

When construction began in spring 2014, the centre had been scheduled to be operational by the end of 2015.

However the opening date, which was later moved to July, then September, of this year has now been set at December 1.

The delays have been blamed on it being “a large and complex build”.

The centre, on the corner of Bristol Road and Edgbaston Park Road, will include the city’s only 50-metre swimming pool, a triple sports hall intended to accommodate major national sporting events and a Wellbeing and High Performance research centre.

The University has said it is “working through the implications and informing the many user groups affected” by the delay.

The centre, which will be called 360 Sports & Fitness, will replace Munrow Sports Centre.