A new £8m ($16m) artificial surface ski area development at Wrexham in Wales has got underway this week. The new centre, at Wilderness Tip, Gresford, has been planned for more than a decade and will include an artificial ski slope, ski jump, toboggan run and chalets. It is scheduled to open in 2010.

The Nike Group (no relation to the famous sportswear manufacturer) behind the project already operates six leading artificial surface ski centres in the UK - Chatham, Llandudno, Bracknell, Plymouth, Bristol and Swadlincote. The company have carried out initial earthworks two years after getting planning permission and are now waiting for bids to come in for contractors on the construction work. It is assumed the slope with use the Nike Group's own PermaSnow surface.

www.jnll.co.uk