A £9.5 MILLION project for a new leisure centre in Witham has begun.
Contractors Barr Construction kick-started work on Tuesday at the Spinks Lane site, while jubilant councillors raised their hard hats in celebration on the soils last Thursday.
Centre managers and charitable trust Fusion Lifestyle hope to unveil the six lane 25 metre pool, learner pool with moveable floor, fitness suite, two dance studios, a sauna, a steam room and two squash courts by summer 2014.
Director of business development at the charity, Tim Mills, said: "We are delighted that work is underway for the new leisure centre and we look forward to working with Barr Construction and the District Council during the build.
"We particularly look forward to developing activity programmes and other services at the centre which will ensure that it will be a popular facility, attractive and accessible to all members of the local community."
The centre was due to open in Christmas 2013 when Fusion Lifestyle announced they had taken over its management, along with other Braintree district council run facilities Braintree Leisure Centre, Braintree Swimming Centre, Bramston Sports Centre and Spinks Lane Sports Ground.
Braintree's cabinet member for communities Joanne Beavis said: "It's great news that construction work for this new state-of-the art leisure facility is currently underway.
"We can now look forward to seeing the building take shape over the next year and during these exciting times we hope to run a number of community focused initiatives."
