Plans to improve Southampton’s Outdoor Sports Centre take another step forward
Following a public consultation on the multi-million-pound Draft Masterplan of Improvements last year, Southampton City Council’s Cabinet approved the plans with cycling improvements set to start this spring
From August to October last year, Southampton City Council ran a 12-week public consultation to understand views of local residents, businesses, sports clubs and community groups on their ambitious improvement plan for Southampton’s main venue for outdoor sports. The results of this consultation have now been released which reveals over 2,500 people responded with 92% agreeing with the proposals. Among the results, respondents also reported that the improvements set out in the Draft Masterplan would have an overwhelmingly positive impact on their community, their mental health and wellbeing and their level of physical activity.
The key features of the Draft Masterplan of Improvements which will now become the proposed scope of works following yesterday’s (7 February) approval at Cabinet includes:
- New ‘hub’ offering changing facilities, gym, café and more
- New covered tennis and netball courts
- Improvements for an integrated cycling offer
- New artificial grass football pitches
- Improvements to the hockey pitches
- Improvements to the snow sports centre including a new ski lodge
- Transformational use of the north of the site with a new ‘family zone’ providing an outdoor gym,
- skatepark, children’s play area and more
- New enlarged grandstand and clubhouse for events and officials at the athletics track
- Improvements to cricket pitches
- Additional on-site car parking
- Enhancements to paths, seating, lighting and environmental features across the entire site
From as early as this spring, work to improve the Bike Park and Woodland trail as part of the wider cycling plans across the site in partnership with British Cycling will commence whilst a detailed design is developed before a planning application for the main site works is submitted. Subject to planning consent and securing funding, major works to the rest of the Outdoor Sports Centre could start as early as this autumn.
Councillor John Hannides, Cabinet Member for Finance and Capital Assets, said:
“We received a fantastic response from people all over Southampton supporting the proposals to improve the Outdoor Sports Centre and I am delighted we have been able to formally approve these proposals to progress this project even further.
“This is the most significant investment in the Outdoor Sports Centre for over 80 years since its opening in 1938. Not only do these improvement plans ensure the future of this much-loved, iconic sporting venue, but they also support our bid to become UK City of Culture 2025 by improving health and wellbeing whilst maintaining and enhancing our heritage, boosting the local economy and creating new jobs for local people.”
