Sports facility ‘good news’
Councillors have given the green light to develop a zero carbon multi-sports facility in Strathaven.
Elected members deemed the plans a‘good news story’for the local community and gave funding of £387,473 to help build the site at Strathaven Rugby Club.
The club submitted the application last year to provide an indoor facility which can accommodate training and exercise in all weathers.
Councillors at a recent Community and Enterprise Committee meeting welcomed the plans.
Chairperson councillor Robert Brown said:“I think this is interesting and it is a good news story in many respects.”
The benefits to the surrounding community were also praised, and Cllr David Watson said:“I would echo the sentiment about the good news story. But I think this is an exciting opportunity for Strathaven and the surrounding area and the sports community within that, and taking it even wider.
“The rugby club is a very progressive club and they have been pushing forward developments in Strathaven. On paper, I think this is a fantastic opportunity for that area so hopefully it can come to some fruition.”
Cllr John Anderson added:“I’m sure everyone would welcome this. I think as well as the sporting people, it does give the residents the opportunity to access leisure and outdoor recreational activities and that will help their wellbeing and quality of life and also their mental health, so I’m fully in support of this and I hope it goes through ASAP.”
Within the facility, there will be two rugby 3G pitches and one hard sports surface.
There will also be an area for gym equipment, fitness classes and space for a local boxing club to include a boxing ring for training purposes.
The proposed facility will also be available for the community to use.
The rugby club will continue to engage with other local clubs and aim to become a community hub.
The facility will be built in line with carbon neutral standards which comply with the government’s carbon net zero by 2025.
There will be solar panels on the roof which will power the building and provide energy to storage batteries to deliver clean electricity to external floodlights.
As well as this, the plan includes planting trees which are in line with carbon neutral principles to help provide clean air within the town whilst shielding the facility from the road and local homeowners.
The rugby club anticipate that the price to build the facility will range between £920,000 to £1.1million.
The council will grant £387,473, and the club is seeking further funding from the Scottish Rugby Union and other avenues such as Virador, Sports Scotland, Banks Renewables and the National Lottery.