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Willmott Dixon has been appointed by Calderdale Council to transform leisure facilities in Brighouse and Sowerby Bridge by creating two new swimming pool complexes.

The company, which has a local office in Morley, Leeds, will take forward plans by the council to replace two existing out-dated facilities. The Brighouse pool complex will be built in Wellholme Park and will provide a 25 metre main pool, learner pool and fitness studio, while the Sowerby Bridge pool will be located at the former market site on Station Road and will have the same range of facilities.

Working with architects Saunders Boston, structural engineers GCM Consulting and mechanical and electrical engineers, BSP Ltd, Willmott Dixon aims to submit planning permission by the end of February to enable it to start on both sites in August 2009. The team is led by operations director Mark Pheasey, who lives locally in Mirfield, and senior design and build coordinator Mark Howl, who lives in nearby Haworth.

The company is a prolific constructor of pools, with over 100 built over the past fifteen years. It is currently working on four pools for Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and a pool for the University of Leeds, as well as building Corby-East Midlands International Pool, a 50 metre pool that will be used by Olympic hopefuls to practice for the 2012 Games. It is also working with Gateshead Council to create a further series of pools to replace existing outdated facilities. Calderdale Councillor Amanda Byrne, Cabinet Member for Community Services said:

“The Council is delighted to have appointed such an experienced team and we are looking forward to the next stage of the project when we receive the outline designs so we can share these with the public and find out their views.

The facilities will provide modern leisure provision to be enjoyed by residents of all ages, as well as meeting one of the council’s priorities to help develop healthier communities in Calderdale.”

Mark Pheasey says, “The team are really looking forward to making this a reality. We know the value of having good quality leisure facilities to the community and are looking forward to the benefits these two superb new venues will bring to residents in Brighouse and Sowerby Bridge and surrounding areas.”