College looks to build new sports hall

Newbury College has applied for planning permission for a sports hall and skills centre at its Monks Lane campus

WITH health and fitness firmly on the agenda, Newbury College has applied for planning permission to build a new sports hall at its Monks Lane campus.

The sports hall and skills centre would be the size of four badminton courts, and would be used for a variety of sports including basketball, netball, hockey and football.

A one storey structure, it would mean a wider range of courses would be available to students.

Principal of the college, Ann Murdoch, said there were no purpose built sporting facilities at the college, and the students were crying out for new facilities to enable them to take part in more activities.

“We are having to bus students to sports facilities elsewhere, sometimes as far as Swindon. It is something a lot of students have said to us that they wanted and we have listened to them.

“It will improve the college significantly and in time we hope the community could use it in the evenings and the holidays.”

Moves were first put in place around two years ago, according to finance director of the college, Bill Blythe, who said the college would put up around 85 per cent of the funding, which it had been busy working to secure.

Such is the location at the south west corner of the existing site, which is flat, set back and masked by existing vegetation, the development would be simple and easy to construct.

The college estimate should permission be granted, it could be finished and ready to open by the summer.

The cost of the development is being kept under wraps as it is still out to tender, but early indications expect it to come in around £2 million.

The proposed facility already has the backing of Newbury Town Council, who unanimously voted in favour of the development at a meeting of the Planning and Highways Committee on Monday night.

Councillor Tony Stretton (Con, Clay Hill) said: “I believe this is a really positive move for the college. It's another sports facility that will create more competition. Hopefully this can drive leisure prices down.”

His words were echoed by Phil Barnett (Lib Dem, Clay Hill), who added: “The amount of time that students are travelling around to other facilities is totally unnecessary so this facility is very important.”