Bid to boost public health through new stadium

Talks are being held between senior civil servants at York Council and representatives from NHS organisations and the voluntary sector to use the proposed stadium on the outskirts of the city at Monks Cross for key health provision.

An event was attended by representatives from groups including York Older People’s Association, Active York, North Yorkshire Sport and York Mental Health Forum to see how the planned community stadium will be available to promote health services for the city’s residents.

York Council’s cabinet member for leisure, culture and tourism, Coun Sonja Crisp, said: “We believe the community stadium will enable us to use the power of sport to promote well-being, put public health at the heart of our communities, engage children in healthy lifestyles and provide accessible learning opportunities for all.”

More than 21,500sq ft of space has already been let for schemes including an assessment centre to help the elderly to continue living independently as well as a NHS facility to tackle obesity and promote physiotherapy, pain management and sexual health.

York St John University is planning to create an Institute of Community Sport and Wellbeing and there are also proposals to build a children’s play facility and crèche and an e-learning library to allow genealogy research and access to sports archives at the stadium.

Councillors approved a planning application in May for the project which will create a 6,000-seat community sports stadium to become the new home of York City Football Club and York City Knights rugby league team.

A contentious retail scheme at Monks Cross for showpiece retailers including Marks & Spencer and John Lewis, which opponents claim will harm city centre trade, will help finance the stadium with nearly £15m.