The canoe complex could be built in the International Sports Village

The �6.25m development could be used for the 2012 London Olympics and will be built at the Cardiff Bay sports village site, the council say.

The French designers of previous Olympic canoe courses - Hydrostadium - will plan the state-of-the-art complex.

The venue would be suitable for elite athletes and novices of all ages.

Richard Harvey from the Welsh Canoe Association said the complex would benefit the whole of Wales, not just experienced sportsmen and women.

Adaptable

"The complex will be designed to be adaptable," he said. "We would not want a white elephant.

"We want a venue that would introduce people of all abilities and ages to the sport as well as being a top class training and competition facility for elite canoeists.

"Speaking hypothetically, in the morning you could change the course and adjust the river flow to have a competition level slalom site.

"Then in the afternoon you could remove some of the obstacles and make the course suitable for white water rafting for a range of ages and abilities.

"A conveyor belt going from the bottom of the course to the top would allow us to use the site for people with special needs."

Mr Harvey said that the proposed facility had been a priority for the Welsh Canoeing Association for many years.

This is a fabulous prospect and once again keep Cardiff on the world sporting stage Cardiff council leader Rodney Berman

Unlike the National Whitewater Centre in Bala, the association said the new facility would not need to rely on the elements to run.

The Welsh Canoe Association and the British Canoeing Association have agreed in principle to give �500,000 funding to the development with a similar strategic tourism grant also likely to be available.

Cardiff has been chosen as one of six core cities in the UK to support the 2012 Olympics and the council say the development is the "perfect opportunity" to have a key event staged in Wales.

Cardiff council leader Rodney Berman said the facility would be an "exciting addition" to the International Sports Village.

The facility would become a visitor attraction as well as providing a suitable venue for international teams on training camps, he said.

The development may see a key Olympic event staged in Wales

"It would be the only Olympic standard pumped white-water venue in the UK which could lead to the white-water canoe events in the 2012 Olympics being be held in Cardiff.

"This is a fabulous prospect and once again keep Cardiff on the world sporting stage."

The centre's first international competitors could be welcomed in 2010.

The plans were approved in principle at Cardiff council's executive business meeting and it is hoped the venue will be funded by Cardiff Harbour Authority as well as the British and Welsh Canoe Associations.

The council will also ask the Welsh Assembly Government for their support for the development with a joint approach for funding under the UK Government's initiative for centres of sporting excellence.