Work has begun on the expansion of the Blackwater Leisure Centre in Maldon, Essex, following £2.4m of investment from Leisure Connection, Sport England lottery funding and Maldon District Council.

Leisure Connection, the largest commercial operator of local authority leisure facilities and fitness clubs in the UK, has successfully managed the site for more than 10 years.

It contributed £1.2 to the development, which will boast a four-court sports hall, sports injuries and beauty clinic, a 50- station Harpers gym, 40-person aerobics studio and new changing rooms. The expansion is considered necessary to cater for the considerable increase in the Maldon population and is scheduled to be fully operational from summer 2002.