LONDON - Construction has begun on the final 2012 Olympic venue, the shooting ranges, in the grounds of one of London's grandest historic buildings.

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Orange polka-dot spectator tents will contrast with their background, the Royal Artillery Barracks, the longest continuous Georgian building facade in Britain.

The temporary construction in Woolwich, southeast London, will be completed ahead of international shooting test events next spring.

The venue was one of the last to be confirmed, after the shooting lobby had campaigned energetically for the event to be staged at Bisley, Surrey, about 35 miles outside London, arguing it was cheaper and would provide a post-Games legacy.

London Games organisers finally settled on Woolwich after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had expressed impatience at the decision-making process and a preference for a more compact Games.

The venue, reported to cost 40 million pounds, will include three enclosed and three open-air ranges. About 4,000 people are expected to attend each day.