Developers TCN UK are to provide a 3,600 sq ft boathouse for the club as part of a £4 million commitment it has made to develop the Waterfront's leisure facilities.

Sport England is also providing £106,000 worth of funding for the project, which includes facilities for flat water canoeing to Olympic standard, sailing, dragon boating, model boating and coarse angling.

Activities have already begun and the boathouse will be completed by the autumn.

Chris Hawkesworth, from the Canoe England division of the British Canoeing Union, said: "We are very pleased with this development.

"It gives the BCU a high profile, high specification base in South Yorkshire, an area that has a lot of paddling potential.

"The Manvers 250m and 500m lake racing facility will act as a pathway to the longer Olympic discipline of 1km and our World Discipline of Canoe Marathon, both of which can be hosted at Rother Valley Country Park.

"The lake is now open for business, with a full programme of events planned for 2009 when the land facilities are full open."

Stephen Holme, director of TCN UK's northern office, said the development was great news for local people of all ages who would now be able to enjoy a range of watersports on their doorstep, and would help to attract investors and homeowners to the scheme's business and residential elements.

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