Sowerby Sports Village due to be completed earlier than planned

The second phase of a multi-million pound sports village on the edge of Thirsk has been given the green light.

Hambleton’s council leader has highlighted the authority’s record in ensuring community benefits from a large-scale housing development.

Councillor Mark Robson said after waiting for several years to start work on Sowerby Sports Village, Hambleton District Council was able to bring forward the second phase of the development for completion earlier than originally planned.

He said the authority was making “fantastic progress” towards realising its ambition, with the first part of the £5m project due to be completed by the end of March, meaning the pitch-laying phase could be started immediately afterwards.

Cllr Robson said: “This makes total sense. Why move the machinery off the site for the sake of bringing this forward?”

He said the the pitches would need to settle for 12 months before being used.

The sporting and community hub is set to include an extended floodlit astro pitch for hockey, served by a new two-storey pavilion and an artificial grass floodlit floodlit pitch, and grass pitches for training.

Other planned facilities include two grass rugby pitches, one floodlit, a four-lane grass track circuit with sprint track to on the home straight, cycle paths and fitness trails, a skate park and BMX Skills track, 18 allotments, a cafe, cycle workshop and another pavilion.

The sports village, plans for which were unveiled five years ago as a key community element of the 925-home Sowerby Gateway housing development scheme, will also feature a pavilion, four car parks with 300 spaces and a community garden to create a permanent base for local sports clubs and organisations to enable them to grow in a high quality and sustainable environment.

The authority and Councillor Robson had faced pressure from some residents over the delivery of the sports village and improvements to the A168 junction after the latter scheme fell victim to years of delays.

Cllr Robson said: “There will always be a number of doubters out there, but fortunately they are in a minority. They doubted whether we would deliver the sports village and they doubted whether the junction would be delivered. They have both been delivered now, so what’s going to be the next thing on their agenda?”