WORK on York's new community stadium will not begin until this summer and the project will be completed in autumn 2016, it has been announced.

It had previously been said work would begin in March and be completed in summer 2016, definitely in time for the 2016/17 season.

The later dates were contained in an announcement yesterday, naming international construction services firm ISG as the preferred construction partner for GLL, to work on the stadium and leisure complex at Monks Cross.

A spokesman for ISG, which operates in 28 countries worldwide, said the development - currently before planners at City of York Council - was set to become a leading leisure destination for the North of England.

He said: "In addition to creating a new 8,000 all-seater stadium with high-quality hospitality and conferencing facilities, ISG will also deliver a new 25m six-lane swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness and active play facilities, as well as a community hub, providing health and wellbeing services for local residents and visitors," he said.

"The stadium’s East Stand is home to a three-storey community hub – the first of its kind in the city, providing accommodation for key partners, including York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, York Against Cancer, York St John University and Be Independent."

Danny Murray, ISG’s Northern regional managing director, said the company's involvement in the Community Stadium project extended back to 2012 and it had worked closely with GLL and consortium partners to bring the vision for the 'keynote regional leisure scheme' to reality.

"ISG has exceptionally strong leisure sector credentials, delivering iconic sporting venues like the Olympic Velodrome and the National Football Development Centre in Newport, and we are looking forward to working with our consortium partners to create superb new facilities for York," he added.