A HIGH-PROFILE design firm will help shape Basildon's £35million sporting village.

International design consultants EDAW have been signed up to get the wheels in motion for the centre, which will be built in Gloucester Park and hopefully act as a training camp for the 2012 Olympics.

The firm will create outline architectural plans for the village, which will boast an Olympic size swimming pool, gymnastics centre, athletes' facilities and sports hall.

EDAW has quite a reputation. It has 33 offices across the globe, including London, and helped design and kickstart high-profile projects including Royal Victoria Square in London's Docklands, the regeneration of Blackpool seaside and plush plaza Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester.

The company has also been named as the "urban designer" for London's 2012 Olympic Park masterplan.

Stephen Horgan, the council's cabinet member for regeneration, said it was quite a coup getting EDAW on board.

He said: "We look forward to working with the project team to progress this exciting project."

Sports and leisure consultants PMP, also of London, have also been commissioned by Basildon Council and the Basildon Renaissance Partnership to work with EDAW.

Together the experienced team will design and work towards securing planning permission, while searching for a development partner, likely to be a private firm or consortium of companies, to build and operate the venue.

Most of the £35 million needed for the project has already been found.

Basildon Council is pledging £15million, but, controversially, still needs to sell off assets, including Markhams Chase sports centre, to get it.

Essex County Council has vowed to give £5million.

The rest will come from the Thames Gateway and a private investor, yet to be found.

Anthony Hedley, the council's cabinet member for leisure and arts, who has championed the concept from the start, said: "The village will radically improve the quality and choice of facilities available to all our residents and create a significant regional centre in time to reap the benefits of the 2012 Olympics.

"We look forward to working with the project team to progress this exciting project."

The project is set to be unveiled to prospective development partners at the Thames Gateway Forum, to be held in London, on Wednesday November 28.