The Lee Valley White Water Centre near Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, has been chosen to host the 2015 Canoe Slalom World Championships by the International Canoe Federation.

Built to stage canoe slalom events at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the facility was selected ahead of a rival bid from the French Canoe Federation. Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA) will own and operate the FaulknerBrowns Architects-designed venue before and after the London Games.

Morrison Construction built the new venue, with S&P Architects working as the delivery designers for the project. Shaun Dawson, chief executive of LVRPA, said: "The competition allows us to see legacy in action and raise the profile of this exciting sport to a wider audience."

Hugh Robertson, minister for sport and the Olympics, added: "This is the first major sporting event confirmed for an Olympic venue after the Games and will be part of the legacy from London 2012." Image: ODA/Steve Bates