Work will begin on a £17m sports facility in Dundee if a preparatory works tender is approved by Councillors, it has been announced.

The development committee will be asked to green light £850,000 of works by Tayside Contracts at a meeting on Monday, 25 January.

If accepted, work can get underway on the new Regional Performance Centre for Sport in Caird Park.

Features at the facility would include:

• An indoor full-size artificial pitch

• Eight-court size multi-sports hall with spectator seating and storage

• Outdoor artificial pitch suitable for rugby and football

• High standard grass football pitch

• Medium standard grass football pitch (suitable for community use)

• Indoor running straight

• Associated parking and infrastructure

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• Strength and conditioning facilities

• Meeting rooms suitable for conferences with catering facilities

• Assorted support facilities including Sportscience.

Works by Tayside Contracts involve replacing the existing weight restricted masonry bridge over the Gelly Burn and upgrading 900 metres of Mains Loan between Kingsway and Claverhouse Road.

In addition, the site's main access point at junction of Claverhouse Road will be widened, while new street lighting will be installed at the edge of the carriageway, from the entrance at Claverhouse Road to the entrance of the new facility. Existing drainage will also be improved.

The council is providing £12m towards the project, while sportscotland has contributed a £5m grant.

Will Dawson, convener of the council's city development committee, said: "Making sure that these works are done in advance of the creation of the centre will ensure that it is easily accessible for contractors and users when it is completed.

"The eastern end of Caird Park is an ideal location for this impressive centre where it will integrate with the existing athletics stadium and velodrome.

"We have been working hard with our partners to provide a top-class facility that can be open for both performance and community use and will be an exciting addition to the city's superb range of sporting facilities."

The facility is expected to be completed by the end of 2016.

(LM/JP)