It comes just a few weeks after Willmott Dixon secured a £50m contract to create the Middlesbrough Sports Village and Wycombe Sports Centre.

The Oldham Sports Centre will be located at the junction of Manchester Street and St Domingo Street in the town centre.

Features include a 25m, eight-lane swimming pool with spectator gallery, eight-court sports hall, an 80-station fitness studio and four-rink indoor bowls hall.

Willmott Dixon has also signed up to the Get Oldham Working Construction Charter that seeks to link physical regeneration projects to employment and training opportunities for local residents and supply chain opportunities for local businesses.

Willmott Dixon managing director in its Oldham office, Anthony Dillon, said: “We will be working closely with the council to ensure we maximise the local economic benefit in terms of local labour, subcontractors and suppliers.”

The current Oldham Sports Centre, on Lord Street, will not close until the new facility is complete – set to be Autumn 2015 – to ensure there is no break in service.

Earlier this year Oldham Council also revealed proposals for a new £8m Royton leisure facility – which will be located on Byron Street.

Work is set to begin on this facility later this year and expected to open Autumn 2015.