Sports pitches could beat cuts

PLANS to improve sports pitches in Fitton Hill and Hathershaw look set to beat budget cuts and finally get the go-ahead.

The £800,000 scheme includes a full-size 3G pitch and an upgrade of grass area at Hathershaw Sports College and smaller games areas at Broadfield School and St Martin’s School. They will be made available for community use.

Exciting plans to build a £2.8 million Sportszone in Fitton Hill were initially scrapped last December after a last-ditch funding blow.

New Deal for Communities (NDC) had been unable to get funding in time from the Football Foundation to help bring disused pitches back into use for football tournaments, basketball, rugby and other sporting activities.

It drew up the scaled-down plans but there were fears that Government cuts could see the plans scuppered for a second time. But NDC now says it expects the scheme to go ahead.

A spokeswoman added: “We’re waiting for final approval but we are hopeful that everything will come through.

Lorna Philips, assistant head and director of sport at Hathershaw College, said: “It will be great and will hopefully bring the community together.”