Sport England had expressed concerns about the sustainability of the 50 metre Olympic swimming pool and international-standard diving pool, but after months of debate it was won around by the proposals.

It now hoped that the state-of-the-art facility will be the best leisure centre of its kind in the region and one of the country’s leading centres of aquatic excellence, attracting top sportsmen and women including Plymouth’s Tom Daley, the world diving champion.

The scheme, which is being managed by EC Harris, is planned include a 50 x 25 metre swimming pool, 25 x 16 metre diving pool, dryside diving facility, leisure water, climbing area with ariel experience, eight-rink bowling facility, 12-court sports hall, fitness suite with 150 stations, health suite, multipurpose space and dance studio, crèche, soft play and café area.

The University of Plymouth will give a £2.5 million contribution to the new facility with most of the remaining funds coming from the sale of Plymouth City Council assets and borrowing.

The multi-purpose facility will boast: a family leisure with flumes and a bubble pool, an eight-lane bowls centre, and a fitness suite as well as the 50m pool and diving areas.

Vivien Pengelly, the Leader of Plymouth City Council, said: “The dream of a flagship leisure facility for the people of Plymouth has been a long time in the planning and we are so thrilled to see this now becoming a reality.

"This is one of Plymouth's biggest investments in leisure facilities, and today is a huge milestone.

"I'm convinced it will be ready around September 2011, and on budget.

"The letter from Sport England was an important factor, and they now know we mean business.

"It's going to be a super sporting facility for the whole region."

In a letter to the council Simon Ridd, a head of strategy and performance at National Lottery provider Sport England, said: "A number of national governing bodies of sport have indicated that the Life Centre facilities will be of strategic national and regional importance to the development of their sports.

"This increased dialogue… has provided further evidence of need and improved sustainability options for the Life Centre.

"Following Sport England's formal response to the planning application made in April 2009 I can acknowledge that since April 2009 there has been positive dialogue between officers of Plymouth City Council and Sport England regarding the proposed Life Centre development.

"Since the original planning application was submitted, upon which we provided comments… primarily regarding the loss of open space, the City Council has continued to develop the project and facility mix.

"It is also noted by Sport England that the work undertaken by Plymouth City Council on the emerging city facility strategy also goes some way to justifying the scale of facility mix."

Sport England had initially voiced concerns about the long-term sustainability of the Life Centre, but now took a more positive view.

Ridd said: "We have had dialogue with sport governing bodies and Plymouth City Council about how the facility will get used, how it will be sustained and how bodies will invest in it.

"The City Council has done a lot more work around providing a strategy for sport facilities in the city."