Last updated at 11:49, Saturday, 23 June 2012

FURNESS College governors have approved plans to build a £2.5m sports hall as the final part of the college’s £43m revamp.

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By Nicola Park

The sports hall will be developed in partnership with Cumbria Cricket Ltd and England and Wales Cricket Board and will act as the hub for the development of cricket in this area.

The Channelside college has described the plan as an opportunity to provide local cricketers with the best facilities “this side of Old Trafford”.

The facilities will boast upgraded lighting and flooring and have the latest high definition video analysis equipment.

Bob Simpson, director of cricket for Cumbria Cricket Ltd said: “This is the start of a new partnership with Furness College and we are delighted to be getting such a superb cricket facility in Barrow.

“We look forward to developing the sport both at representative level and through community use by a wide range of local players and those new to the game.

“Cricket should also benefit from all of the resources available at the new college campus including sport science, volunteer workforce training and through construction students helping clubs to maintain and develop their facilities.”

For the majority of the time the sports hall will be available to college students for curriculum, sporting and personal use.

But the college has proposed that all of the new sport facilities, including a gym and third generation pitch, will be opened up for community use by clubs, groups and members of the public at evenings and weekends.

The college will spend £750,000 on the new pitch, in addition to the £2.5m it is spending on the sports hall.

Mark Nicholson, deputy principal for curriculum and quality at the college said Cumbria Cricket Ltd and England and Wales Cricket Board are making a “substantial” contribution towards the cost of the project. Mr Nicholson added: “The new sports hall has been high on our list of priorities since we left the Howard Street site in 2000.

“The new facilities will allow the college to develop its approach to sport, fitness and health for learners and members of the public.

“The cricket specialist nature of the new hall will allow continuous development of the sport within South Cumbria, as well as providing a top class resource for a wide range of sports.”

The work is set to be carried out by Eric Wright Construction, and is due to begin at the end of July. It is set to be finished by May next year.

First published at 10:37, Saturday, 23 June 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk