Basildon District Council has appointed Community Solutions for Leisure (CSL) as developer of the £35m Basildon Sporting Village.

CSL will now finalise the design – and eventually build – the new centre and its 50m Olympic-size sized pool.

The council cabinet’s decision brings to an end a 15-month procurement process.

Councillor Kevin Blake, cabinet member for leisure and arts said: “The process that we have had to go through has been long and complex, but it has ensured that we have been able to get real value for money and the best long-term deal for the Basildon community.

The Sporting Village will be a regional facility and will include a competition swimming pool with moveable walls and floors; a 400-capacity spectator area, including 6 wheelchair spaces; a smaller, 9m x 17m learner swimming pool; an eight badminton court-sized multi-sports hall; a gymnastics centre, including specialist main hall and training hall; a 100-station health and fitness club; and a multi-purpose studio designed to offer a flexible space capable of accommodating, dance, aerobics, martial arts or kick boxing.

There will also be meeting and function rooms, a café and a climbing wall with bouldering area.

Outdoor facilities will comprise a competition standard athletics track with a new 750-seater, covered spectator are and six floodlit, 5-a-side artificial turf soccer pitches.

The council secured full planning permission for the scheme on 10 March 2009, and the facility has been approved as a pre-games training camp for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Sporting Village is supported by £5 million funding from Essex County Council and the Homes and Communities Agency, and £0.5 million from Sport England and the Pitsea Veolia Cleanaway Marshes trust.