By Paul Osborne

A new accomodation build will be built at the National Sports Centre Inverclyde ©FacebookA new accommodation building is to be built at the National Sports Centre in Inverclyde, making the facility the first in Scotland to become a dedicated Para-sport centre of excellence.

The multi-million pound investment, understood to cover a budget of more than £9 million ($14 million/€11 million) , will be completed by 2016, and deliver a modern, accessible and fully-inclusive, world-class centre of excellence.

The building will replace the current accommodation facility at the centre.

This decision was made after an independent survey, which looked into a variety of possible options, found that a replacement building would be most cost-effective and suitable for Para-athletes.

The construction of the new building will not affect the sports facilities at the centre, allowing current users to continue their activities throughout the process.

Scottish athletes won 11 medals as part of Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympic Games ©Getty ImagesScottish athletes won 11 medals as part of Team GB at the London 2012 Paralympic Games ©Getty Images



"This is an incredibly exciting time for Inverclyde and this multi-million pound investment will safeguard the National Sports Centre's future allowing us to continue to attract national training squads, clubs and residential school weeks from across the country, and provide Scotland's first dedicated Para-sport centre of excellence," said John Kent, Principal of sportscotland National Sports Centre Inverclyde.

"The new state-of-the-art building will allow us to sustain a fully-inclusive and accessible world-class sporting facility with 60 fully adapted residential rooms.

"The old building has served the people of Scotland and Largs extremely well, but was built in the 19th Century and is no longer fit-for-purpose.

"The new building will be designed to cater fully for Para-sports' performance athletes, children, young people, and adults with disabilities, as well as existing users,  who will all be able to reside at the centre and benefit from all the excellent sports facilities we provide."

Scottish Disability Sport's chief executive Gavin MacLeod added: "The redevelopment of the National Sports Centre Inverclyde is hugely exciting for Scottish Disability Sport.

"Inverclyde will become the most accessible and inclusive residential sports facility in the country and a real focus for the development of disability sport in Scotland."

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