A sport centre in Barnes is being given a revamp, with modern changing facilities being installed.

Work has begun at Barn Elms and the new state-of-the-art changing rooms will provide visitors with bigger and better gym space and a new café.

The new pavilion, which is being constructed by Tideway, will be a modern replacement for the previous changing facilities.

Part of the site is being used for the construction of a 25 KM tunnel. This will help tackle sewage overflowing into the River Thames. The new changing rooms are part of Tideway’s commitment to work closely with communities near its sites.

Barn Elms covers some 52 acres and offers residents, youth groups, clubs and schools the opportunity to take part a huge range of sports and leisure activities.

It offers grass pitches for rugby, football, cricket, Aussie rules and rounders as well as 16 tennis courts along with specialist facilities for archery, athletics, field events, a gym and boathouse for rowing. It also has artificial surfaces for netball and hockey.

As part of the 2012 London Olympic Games legacy, 1,000 tonnes of sand was transported from the beach volleyball venue in Horseguards Parade to Barn Elms so that the sport would have a permanent home in the capital.

The council's spokesman on sport and leisure Cllr Steffi Sutters said: "Barn Elms is a superb sports venue with really excellent facilities. I’m delighted that this new state-of-the-art changing room complex will soon be opening its doors.

"Offering first class facilities can only help to encourage more people, especially younger people, to get involved in sports and hopefully spur them on to become the sports and Olympic stars of the future.”