BUILDING works around Whitechapel station start today, as engineers lay the groundwork for the capital’s huge Crossrail project.

Construction firm Carillion will start work at Sainsbury’s car park, in the grounds of Swanlea School and at the Whitechapel Sports Centre, in Durward Sreet.

At the Cambridge Heath Road supermarket, surrounding buildings are being given structural support.

A sewer serving Swanlea School, Brady Street needs to be strengthened before excavation works are started on tunnels beneath it.

At the sports centre, a small section of building will be removed and new fire escapes built.

Crossrail said it will use the “best practical means” to minimise noise from the works.

Last month, building firm Balfour Beatty won the �235million contract for tunnelling at Whitechapel and Liverpool Street stations.

Actual building works at Whitechapel station – which is connected to both the District and Hammersmith and City Tube lines as well as the Overground’s East London Line – will not start until later this year.

The new rail track will eventually link the eastern hubs of Canary Wharf and the City to central London and Heathrow airport west of the capital.

The central Crossrail stations are due to open in 2018 and there will be a phased opening of the rest of the route after that.