The team, which includes reigning Olympic women’s 4x100 metres freestyle relay champions Inge Dekker, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Femke Heemskerk and Marleen Veldhuis (pictured), will be based in Leeds in the weeks leading up to the Games.

It follows an agreement between the Royal Dutch Swimming Federation and Leeds City Council.

The team, which is expected to be made up of approximately 25 swimmers competing in London, will use the Aquatics Centre at the John Charles Centre for Sport to complete their final preparations.

The team are also expected to visit Leeds in late 2011 or early 2012 for an initial training camp.

The announcement is the second such agreement to be sealed with a nation competing in the London 2012 Olympic Games, following the decision by Serbia to also send its athletes to Leeds and Sheffield which was confirmed in May.

The Dutch team had 19 swimmers take part in the Beijing Olympics last year, and are aiming to have approximately 25 qualify to compete in London.

Aside from the swimming squad, other Dutch aquatic athletes may also be coming to Leeds, including Olympic 10km open water champion Maarten van der Weijden, who overcame leukaemia to triumph in Beijing when he beat Britain's David Davies, and the women’s water polo team who claimed a surprise victory over the United States in the Olympic final to take the gold medal.

John Procter, Leeds City Council Executive Member for Leisure, said: “This is fantastic news that a second country has chosen Leeds as the perfect place to send its athletes in preparation for London 2012.

"Following on from the agreement with Serbia it is clear that the facilities we have here in Leeds are of the highest standard so it is wonderful to be able attract a team which includes current Olympic champions.

“We hope they have a really enjoyable time in our city and look forward to hopefully having some more countries choose to come to Leeds.”

Aad van Groningen, Holland's team manager, said: “The Royal Dutch Swimming Federation are very pleased to have been able to agree with Leeds the training programme and facilities for our swimmers.

"London 2012 is a great opportunity for Dutch swimming to build on our Olympic success from Beijing last year.

“I am confident that the Aquatics Centre and the support Leeds can offer will provide us with the perfect training environment for us to succeed at the London 2012 Olympic Games.”

The John Charles Centre for Sport was previously named - and is still known locally - as the South Leeds Stadium and was renamed to honour John Charles, the former Leeds United, Juventus  and Wales footballer. 

It was opened in 1996, although the Olympic-sized swimming pool was not opened until 2007 following a relocation from the previous facilities at the 40-year-old Leeds International Pool.

Two submersible booms built into the main pool enable it to be divided into three pools of different sizes and depths, allowing a flexible daily swimming programme.

A floating floor allows the depth of the diving pool and one third of the main pool to be varied from two metres to shallow water for teaching and 0-5 meters for the diving pool.

The £16.5 million centre also includes an aerobics studio and multi-use rooms.

Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012, also hailed Leeds' coup.

He said: "This is great news for Leeds who I know will give a warm welcome to the Dutch swimming team.

"Leeds has high quality swimming facilities and this will help the swimmers prepare well for the London 2012 Games.

"It also provides a great opportunity for Leeds to get involved in our plans."

Kate Auld of Yorkshire Gold, the region’s London 2012 Committee, said: “The Dutch are a swimming force to be reckoned with; winning a clutch of gold medals at Bejing and smashing world records in 2009.

"We’re thrilled to have signed them up so far ahead of 2012 and look forward to welcoming more teams and sports to come and enjoy our world-class facilities and warm Yorkshire welcome.”

In January Australia's swimming team concluded a deal with nearby Manchester to base their team there before London 2012.