News Release

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PR 2202 14 October 2011 Draft

New sporting facilities in Stretford given the green light

Trafford Council's planning committee last night (Thursday 13 October) approved plans for new sports facilities at Stretford High School and Gorse Hill Park. The plans include a new sports building within the school site to provide a hall for court games (4 badminton courts), plus a dance studio, a fitness suite, a community room, changing rooms, showers and toilets. The intention is that this building will be used by both the school and local community. In addition, an all weather pitch and grass pitch are planned for an area of Gorse Hill Park which the school already use during the school term. The all weather pitch will be suitable for football, rugby or hockey and will be fenced and floodlit. This part of the park will continue to be used on a shared basis by the local community and school. Council Leader Matt Colledge said: "This facility will be a superb addition to Stretford's sporting and recreational amenities. Not only will it allow the school to fulfil its ambitions of developing first class facilities for pupils, but it will also provide year-round public access to state of the art, high quality pitches. This decision, following on from the start of the exciting project to transform Lancashire County Cricket Club's ground and the multi-million pound refurbishment of the old town hall building also signals the start of a dynamic new era for the local area." Stretford High School Headteacher James Haseldine said: "We are absolutely delighted by the decision and look forward to providing first class sports facilities that our young people and the community deserve. The area is steeped in sporting and recreational history. We will be strengthening this legacy and bringing it into the 21st century by providing a unique mix of sports facilities for children, families, athletes and the local community. Our focus now is working hard with all stakeholders to make sure that, when completed, this facility lives up to expectations. Thank you to everyone who has worked with us over a long period of time to achieve this result. Anyone interested in following the scheme's progress can do so by logging on to our website www.stretfordhigh.com." Work is due to begin on the new sports pitches within the park and on the new building in the school grounds in early November, with completion programmed for Summer 2012. Access to an area of the park will be restricted during the works and the grass pitch will be unavailable for sports use for two growing seasons, to allow it to bed in properly.

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Steph Sykes, Trafford Council, Communications Unit, 0161 912 1262. Trafford, a value for money Council delivering excellent services for our customers. You can find out more about us by visiting www.trafford.gov.uk