The new £2m Eversley Sports Association centre has been opened to the public.

The 12-acre complex - converted from water-filled, exhausted quarries and waste land - now includes two full-size and eight junior-sized football pitches; a cricket square and outdoor nets; a large pavilion with changing rooms, bar and catering facilities; an indoor cricket training centre, including nets; and a sports and athletics field.

The opening comes more than 12 years after initial meetings were held between a number of local sports clubs and building materials company CEMEX, to explore the possibility of leasing some of CEMEX's unused land to establish additional sports facilities for the area.

As a result of the negotiations, the Eversley Sports Association (ESA) was born - formed by the Eversley Cricket Club, Eversley Football Club, CJFC and the Eversley Parish Council.

Together with California Junior Football Club, the Parish Council, and the many partners in the community, the ESA has raised £2m to finance the construction of the project - including a £666,000 grant from the Football Foundation.

Michael Slater the chairman of ESA, said: "This is the largest social infrastructure project in Eversley since the building of the Charles Kingsley's school over 150 years ago.

"It will have a very significant impact on our community for the next half century and we sincerely thank CEMEX and the Football Foundation our two principal partners for making this possible,"