New sports village gets green light for North Yorkshire

Members of Hambleton District Council’s cabinet have said yes to the concept of the village which would be developed alongside new housing, roads and school planned for the town.

The plans developed with input from sports clubs in Romanby, Brompton and Northallerton will now go out for wider public consultation while a funding and delivery plan is drawn up.

The village would incorporate existing leisure facilities at Hambleton Leisure Centre and the Stone Cross recreation area and will include sports pitches, as well as cycling walking and jogging trails.

The land would be landscaped and include parking provision as well as a new allotment area for local people.

“The development of the north Northallerton area gives us the opportunity to rationalize the sports provision in this area to create a single multi-use sports village for the town,” said Cabinet Member Coun Bridget Fortune.

“Hambleton Leisure Centre – which is due to undergo a £2.5m refurbishment will be the cornerstone to the ‘village’ which will provide improved provision for existing sports as well as new facilities. We will now explore the possible funding packages available for the scheme alongside consulting with local people and sports groups. But this is a very exciting opportunity for Northallerton.”

The development of the leisure centre includes a new gym extension that will double the current work out area, two studios for group exercise and spinning classes and new and improved changing rooms.

The project is split into two phases modernising the swimming changing areas and extending the gym.