BUILDING work on a £1.5million school sports hall in Basingstoke is due to begin this month.

The hall at Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School will be four times the size of the current gym and have space for a number of activities including netball, five-a-side football and basketball.

The development will also include new changing rooms, toilets, stores, an administration office and landscaping.

Leadbitter Group has been awarded the contract to build the sports hall which is due to be completed in time for the autumn term in 2010.

Head teacher Anthony Corish said: “This is an exciting development for the school which will enable us to continue as one of the leading schools in the country.”

Dave Cook, regional director of Leadbitter’s southern housing and construction division, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to carry out this project, which will provide students in years 7-11 with a first-class sporting facility.”

The school was founded in 1975 and covers the communities of Basingstoke, Tadley, Andover and Hook. It caters for 652 pupils aged 11 to 16.