£5m stadium ‘set to build on Olympic legacy’

PLANS HAVE been submitted for a £5m community stadium to build on Yorkshire’s Olympic legacy and providing a new home for two of Sheffield’s leading sports teams.

The 3,900-capacity stadium, to be built at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, will host Sheffield United Women Football Club and Sheffield Eagles Rugby League Football Club.

The stadium – which when finished could create around 150 jobs, including casual match-day work – will also be used by UTC Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park, Oasis Academy Don Valley and the local community.

Work is expected to begin next February on the grandstand, to be built alongside an existing artificial pitch, and will include conference facilities and offices.

Simon Westbury, from real estate developer and investor Scarborough Group International, which is owned by Sheffield United co-owner Kevin McCabe, said they were looking to complement the nearby English Institute of Sport, the training base of Olympic champions Jessica Ennis-Hill and boxers Nicola Adams and Anthony Joshua.

He said: “We are finalising agreements with Sheffield City Council to provide outstanding facilities for Sheffield United Women Football Club, Sheffield Eagles, the Oasis Academy and the UTC.

“What we are trying to do is use professional teams to inspire kids in the Attercliffe area to get involved in sport.”

Designer Whittam Cox Architects said it was looking to create a “strong, striking, unique and instantly recognisable piece of stadium architecture”. Construction will take up to a year.