Preparatory earthworks started this week on the project that will result in the replacement of 10 clay courts with an international standard plexicushion surface.

Council staff, together with local firm Delaneys, are carrying out the earthworks in preparation for tennis court construction specialists, William Loud, to move onto the site in early September.

Wodonga Council’s planning and infrastructure director Leon Schultz said it was all systems go on the project which secured Victorian government funding of $574,700 early last year.

The other funding partners are the council ($343,000) and Tennis Australia ($181,000), with the aim to inject $3 million annually into the economy from high-class tournaments.

Mr Schultz said the earthworks were an important initial step in the project.

“We will probably go down half a metre and then bring it up again with good material,” he said.

“It will be 200 millimetres below the final surface.

“We will then hand it over to William Loud.”

The earthworks are expected to take about three weeks before William Loud applies a layer of asphalt before the last coat of plexicushion.

Mr Schultz said warmer temperatures were needed to get the best final result.

“Hopefully September 1 brings with it some stable weather to enable them to put their materials down quite quickly,” he said.

“The plexicushion is ideally laid in temperatures of about 18 degrees.

“We’ve got to wait a little bit for those temperatures to be reliably attained.”

The project includes a lighting upgrade and the loss of a few car parks at the northern end.