Essex County Council (ECC) has unveiled a £2m funding package to be shared among fourteen schemes to improve sports facilities across the county as part of its 2012 Legacy Fund.

Projects set to benefit from the investment includes the University of Essex in Colchester, which has been awarded £200,000 towards the extension of its fitness suite, while Braintree BMX Club has netted £50,000 to improve club facilities. Eleven county football association projects have also received a share of the Legacy Fund to develop existing multi-use facilities, including artificial, all-weather and grass pitches.

The schemes selected to receive a share of the cash had to meet the council's criteria, which included a commitment to start work in spring 2009 and the provision of facilities for young people in the local community. ECC cabinet member for economic development, regeneration and the 2012 Games, Stephen Castle, said: "We are serious about supporting young people in Essex to achieve their sporting potential at all levels and I feel very proud that as part of our 2012 legacy, we are able to invest in better sporting facilities."