Moredon sports facility reaches next milestone as scheme is put out to tender

Soaring construction costs caused by the current increase in inflation has brought significant challenges to the project, which aims to deliver a top class closed road cycle circuit, a full-size 3G football pitch, new grass football and cricket pitches, and a brand new pavilion.

Work to reduce construction costs has taken place, while additional funding from Swindon Borough Council and Central Swindon North Parish Council has been identified to enable the project to proceed.

Next week, the Borough Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve using £261,000 in additional Section 106 developer contributions identified for sport uses for the Moredon facility, which would be reallocated from nearby Mouldon Hill country park. Alternative funding for tree planting and ecological and biodiversity projects at Mouldon Hill has been identified in its place.

The parish council has also committed to providing an additional £40,000.

Meanwhile, the Borough Council will begin marketing land adjacent to the sports hub for residential development, which will contribute towards the overall costs.

The multi-purpose and multi-generational sports facility just off Akers Way will offer sport and leisure for all ages and promotes inclusion through a wider sporting and well-being community, while fostering a sense of local pride.

The scheme will deliver a pavilion that will support a range of activities from early years and youth programmes during the week through to light refreshments via a servery hatch on a Sunday morning. Enabling families to spectate and use café and welfare facilities is key to the sports hub being used by people of all ages.

The new football facilities will also help young local players fulfil their potential within the game.

The hub, which will be delivered by the Borough Council and operated by the Parish Council, has received support from project partners such as Sport England, British Cycling and the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

Councillor Matty Courtliff, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Heritage, Leisure and Town Centre Experience, said: “I’d like to thank all our partners for their determination and perseverance as we look to deliver this fantastic project for the local community.

“So much work has taken place behind the scenes to get us to this point, particularly given the issues with inflation in the construction industry, and there are likely to be significant challenges in the road ahead.

“The good news is that by working together with our partners, we have developed a deliverable scheme that has been put out to tender and our team will be working hard to keep up the progress.”