A new £23m indoor hub for skiing and snowboarding, which has been constructed on the site of the former Hemel Ski Slope in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, is to open on 6 May.

The Snow Centre, which has been built by UK-based company Sir Robert McAlpine, incorporates a 160m (525ft) main slope suitable for skiers of all abilities, a 100m (328ft) lesson slope, a Snow and Rock retail outlet, a café and après bar and a snow play area. It will also be the only indoor snow facility in the southern Britain that holds Centre of Excellence status, which has been awarded by the British Association of Snowsports Instructors (BASI), while links have also been established with the Ötztal region in Austria to ensure it offers the latest Alpine coaching techniques.

Work got underway a year ago following two years of planning by Sir Robert McAlpine in partnership with Dacorum Borough Council, and it is hoped that the new venue will attract 300,000 visitors in its first year. Steven Jordan, technical director at The Snow Centre, said: "Everybody will be able to enjoy the centre, from beginners to experts, children to adults; there is something for everyone."