by business editor Trevor Sturgess

An award-winning Kent firm has won a £2.2 million deal to build a community and sports centre in the Channel Island of Alderney.

Directline Structures, based at Orbital Park, Ashford, has been building buildings and sports halls for more than two decades.

It will design and build a 21,000 sq ft centre for the island's 2,400 residents. It will feature a 25-metre swimming pool, multi-purpose sports hall, gymnasium, bowling alley, cafe, dance studio and changing facilities.

Duncan Murray (pictured above left), Directline's managing director, said work would begin in March and take a year to complete.

"We will work with local suppliers wherever possible, in addition to bringing in specialist staff when necessary," he said.

Richard Willmott, chairman of the Alderney Community and Sports Centre Charitable Trust, said: "Over the past year we have put in a huge amount of effort to identify and choose a specialist design and build partner to finalise a design and a fixed price for building it. We are delighted to appoint Directline Structures, which specialises in the delivery of low budget but high quality sports centres and public buildings."

Directline, founded by Mr Murray in 1988, has carved out a reputation for energy-saving buildings, winning a sustainable design and construction accolade in the Environment Awards for Kent Business and a regional Constructing Excellence Award.