Work to start on £35m complex
WORK to enhance a County Durham sports complex will begin this spring.
Durham University is investing £35m in its sports facilities which will be for both community and student use.
A major indoor facility and two beach volleyball courts will be developed at Maiden Castle, near Durham city.
The new indoor space will include a sports hall with 12 badminton courts and spectator provision, a five-lane cricket hall, and a purposebuilt martial arts studio.
There will be a 90-station fitness suite with additional strength and conditioning provision and a sports laboratory, which will house the university’s academic Sport Degree programme.
Work on the project will start in April after Durham County Council’s planning committee gave the go-ahead to the plans this week.
Jane Robinson, chief operating officer at Durham University, said they are proud to combine worldclass research and education with an outstanding student experience.
She added: “Sport is key to that, with over three-quarters of our students participating in sport at some level.
“This new investment will both allow our high-performing athletes to compete at the top levels of university sport and beyond, whilst creating more space for students to take up a new sport or enjoy physical activity in their leisure time.”
She said the facility is “extremely popular” with local residents.
“This development will increase community use of Maiden Castle by over 450 hours per week, across sports and activities such as cricket, martial arts, badminton, volleyball, indoor hockey, basketball, netball, volleyball and fitness classes,” she said.
There will also be a social learning and club room spaces including an expanded cafe.
A changing pavilion and two beach volleyball courts will be developed to the south east of the sports centre building.
It is the second phase of the multimillion project. Works to improve parking and access to the site from the A177 are almost complete.
Mrs Robinson said: “We are looking forward to work on phase two beginning on site and all the new facilities being ready for September 2019.”