BSF leisure centres in Leeds to be built and operated by Interserve

13 August 2008

Interserve has won the first ever non-education PFI contract in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. The £44m contract is for the creation and operation of two new leisure centres at Morley and Armley for Leeds City Council.

Construction will begin immediately and both centres are due to open in the summer of 2010. Thereafter Interserve will provide operational services for a period of 25 years.

The new Morley Leisure Centre is to be built on the site of the current centre, which closed in July and will be demolished to make way for the new facilities. The new centre at Armley will be built on land adjacent to the current site. Although slightly different in size, both centres will have a 25m main swimming pool, a 10m learner pool, a Bodyline gym, two sports halls, a dance studio and a cafe. In addition Morley will have a multi-activity hall and Armley a hydrotherapy pool.

Interserve's consortium, the council, Education Leeds and the government's Partnership for Schools have a 10-year strategic partnership to deliver the Leeds BSF programme. The partnership already broke new ground in March when it became the first to sign a second-phase PFI contract, for the construction of a
further school to join those under way through the first phase.

Adrian Ringrose, Chief Executive of Interserve, commented, 'This contract marks another `first' for the Leeds BSF partnership. It is further proof of how the positive attitude of all the parties involved is proving highly beneficial, enabling us to make great progress in delivering new facilities to the people of Leeds.'