First picture of Tipton's new £8.8m swimming pool

This exclusive picture shows the new £8.8 million swimming pool complex planned for Tipton.

The site is set to become a landmark in the town when it opens in early 2013.

The centre, which will stand at the junction of Alexandra Road and Thursfield Road, will house a 25-metre six-lane swimming pool, a teaching pool and fitness suite.

Once built, the pool will replace the ageing Tipton Swimming Centre.

A landscaped urban piazza will be one of the feature points of the centre, which will also include a state-of-the-art changing village. The first floor fitness suite will have 50 fitness stations and the community space will accommodate groups of up to 200 people.

The community room at the centre will also open out on to the piazza and have views of Workhouse Bridge.

Keith Heyes, who is head of cultural services at Sandwell Council, said site investigation work will start next month and some remedial work has already been done.

Councillor Ann Shackleton, said: "We welcome the start of building work and look forward to the opening of the new pool which will become an iconic building in the town."

The pool is being built on part of the Little Burton Estate in Tipton.

The land was formerly occupied by housing in the 1950s which has since been demolished.

It has also been used for industrial purposes and has a number of old shafts and lies adjacent to the Horseley Colliery.

The existing swimming centre in Queens Road was built in the 1930s and has just 15 car parking spaces, while the new building will have 80.