International England rugby star, Jason Leonard kick started work on a major leisure development in Hillingdon, North West London yesterday.

Jason undertook the official 'sod turning' ceremony to mark the start of work on the Botwell Green development in Hayes- Hillingdon Council's second new leisure development in the borough.

The Hayes facility will be a horse-shoe shaped building containing a multi-use leisure complex and community centre with a 25m eight-lane pool, a learner pool, cafeteria, library and gym facilities. It is a new building, which has been designed around an avenue of protected lime trees.

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Cllr Henry Higgins, Cabinet member for Culture, Sport and Leisure at Hillingdon Council said: "Following on from our extensive Uxbridge lido development, we are pleased to be embarking on our second major leisure facility for Hillingdon as part of the council's commitment to expanding leisure provision in the borough. Botwell Green is a £15m development and will provide 21st century leisure opportunities in the south of the borough which will benefit all our residents and become a legacy for future generations."

Martin Smout, Chairman and Chief Executive of GB Building Solutions, the contractor building the leisure centre, said: "GB Building Solutions will bring extensive experience and demonstrable track record in building leisure schemes, to Hillingdon to ensure that the residents in the Borough have a centre to be proud of. We have already developed a strong partnership and a productive working relationship with the team at the council so together we can work to deliver an excellent leisure centre in time for its opening in Autumn 2009."

Preliminary work on the site began in May and will last for 72 weeks. The centre is due to open in Autumn 2009.

(CD/JM)