Part of a £45m programme of investment in the University campus, the works off University Road West over a 4,500sqm area will upgrade and extend the current facilities with the project to be complete in early 2020.

The works include the demolition of the existing Gannochy Pavillion and erection of a new three-storey building that will function as the main entrance and link all existing facilities into one centre.

The main building will feature a glass exterior with views of a circular timber clad “drum” and contain a fitness suite and studio, café and social areas, strength and conditioning suite and changing facilities.

Links will be created from this central building to existing sporting facilities with a new three-court sports hall to be constructed for the growing student population.

A suite of accommodation will also be built to provide a “high performance” strength and conditioning suite, with associated analytical labs, for the University’s scholars engaged on the elite athlete programme. This area will also link the National Swimming Academy into the centre.

Flexible, open plan office accommodation will also be provided for both the University’s sport centre management staff and also the numerous national governing bodies for sport reinforcing their strategic links with the University.

Graeme Lang, construction manager at Morrison Construction, said: “We look forward to continuing our successful working relationship with the University of Stirling and deliver this exciting new development.

“This project will provide elite athletes, students and the wider community with a modern environment to pursue their sporting ambitions.”

University of Stirling director of sport, Cathy Gallagher, said: “This is a significant moment for sport, health and wellbeing at the University of Stirling and signals the start of a transformational chapter in our history. An extraordinary amount of effort, collaboration and innovation has gone into the planning and preparatory stages of the project, so to see the work commence brings an enormous sense of pride and excitement about what lies ahead.

“We strive to set national and international standards in both performance and participation sport and the redevelopment will help expedite our vision for delivering an unrivalled sporting experience for our students, staff, partners and the Stirling community.”

This is the second project that Morrison Construction will deliver for the University.

In November 2017, the £4.1m University of Stirling INTO Academic Centre delivered by Morrison Construction was officially opened by the Earl of Wessex.

The three-story, 1840sqm facility with capacity for 420 students includes a state-of-the-art lecture theatre, 10 teaching rooms, two gardens including associated landscaping and a car park.