As a result of the on-time start on site, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) has now delivered all of ‘the big build: foundations’ milestones it set out in summer last year.

The venue in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire will host the canoe slalom events during the Olympic Games and will include a 300m course, warm-up course and finish lake, while after the games it will be developed to become a sporting and leisure facility for canoeing and white-water rafting, as well as a major competition and training venue for elite events.

ODA chairman John Armitt said: 'Completing all of our milestones over the past year is a significant achievement and the start of work at Broxbourne shows we are hitting our targets not just on the Olympic Park but across the London 2012 project. We are making good progress but there will continue to be tough challenges ahead and we are not complacent.

'The start of construction work in Broxbourne keeps us on track to deliver a world-class venue for London 2012 and a major leisure attraction after the Games. With the venue due for completion ahead of 2012, we will deliver an early legacy of first-class new sporting facilities allowing the huge benefits of the Games to be felt in Broxbourne and the East of England region well before the world’s best athletes arrive in 2012.'