Construction work has begun on an Olympic-standard canoe slalom and white water rafting centre at the Cardiff International Sports Village (CISV).

Designed by France-based HydroStadium, the £13m centre will provide one of the UK's first Olympic-standard pumped water canoe slalom courses.

The facility will be funded by the Cardiff Harbour Authority, Cardiff Council and a grant from Visit Wales.

To be built by Hampshire-based contractor Dean and Dyball, the centre will be constructed in concrete, with five turbines and moveable plastic blocks to create a range of different standards and competencies of courses.

CISV aims to attract users of all abilities to the centre, and hopes to attract around 50,000 people to the site each year.

Rodney Berman, Cardiff Council leader, said: "This is another important milestone in the development of the International Sports Village and indeed the Cardiff city region.

"Cardiff has just ben chosen to represent the UK as a European City of Sport for 2009 and it is facilities like this that will help add to the city's reputation as a genuine world-class destination."

The white water centre is part of the £700m CISV, which currently boasts a 50m swimming pool and an ice rink.

Future projects at CISV, one of the largest ongoing redevelopment projects in the UK, include a snow dome with real snow for skiing and snowboarding and a large hotel.