A COMMUNITY sports facility will soon become a reality after members gave it the green light at the council’s cabinet meeting last night.

Cabinet members were asked to approve developing the Arbour Park Community Sports Facility (CSF), a key project within the council’s wider leisure strategy, on a phased approach with phase one expected to be completed by August 2016.

Phase one will include the build of the four court sports hall, the 3G pitch and car park and phase two to include the main stand.

Developing the site on a phased approach will enable the sports facilities to be built as soon as possible while leaving more time to develop a strong and commercially viable model before starting on the construction of the main stand as phase two.

To ensure the football pitch meets the Football Association’s criteria, the facilities will include a terrace with a minimum of 250 seats on the east side of the pitch as part of phase one.

The new CSF will serve an area of the borough that has high inactivity levels and will offer a programme of activity attracting local people of all ages to become more active, more often – a key outcome in the council’s five year plan.

Councillor Martin Carter, commissioner for community and leisure, said: ”The new community sports facility is one of our key foundation facilities for our emerging leisure strategy which is designed to ensure we have excellent leisure facilities for the next generation and beyond.

“By offering this multi-purpose facility we will be able to provide new and innovative leisure pursuits whilst also delivering on our promise of bringing Slough Town home.

“Our phased approach allows us to get the right operator involvement at the earliest stages while ensuring we move this project forward swiftly. At its heart, this new development delivers on our aspirations of delivering new and exciting infrastructure designed to inspire more people to be more active more often.” The CSF aims to develop a community focused project with the following facilities: • a community football facility which meets both FA Grade C and FIFA two star pitch standards • a flexible use 3G artificial pitch that can be used for football and rugby • spectator capacity of up to 1,950 with a minimum of 250 covered • changing facilities for home and away teams • changing facilities for officials • first aid and physiotherapy facilities • spectator wash rooms • a hospitality area with directors’ facilities • ticket office • turnstiles • car parking (102 dedicated spaces plus shared use of the adjacent free school’s car park).

Members also approved the work to refurbish Orchard Community Centre so The Creative Academy can be relocated from its current home at the West Wing Arts Centre on the Arbour Park site, and create a new grass pitch for St Joseph’s Secondary School.

The completion of the above is paramount to delivering key deadlines for the development of the whole Arbour Park site.

The development of the CSF will be done in partnership with the Slough Regeneration Partnership (SRP).

To achieve the above, the Arbour Park development includes four separate schemes which are interdependent: • the new Lynch Hill Free School • internal remodelling to St Joseph’s Secondary School • a four court sports hall and multi-use games area for St Joseph’s Secondary School • a new community sports facility.

The application for community sports facilities at the Arbour Park site was agreed by the Planning Committee in February 2015.

A follow up report outlining options and timescales for delivering phase two will be taken to cabinet in November 2015.

A COMMUNITY sports facility will soon become a reality after members gave it the green light at the council’s cabinet meeting last night.

Cabinet members were asked to approve developing the Arbour Park Community Sports Facility (CSF), a key project within the council’s wider leisure strategy, on a phased approach with phase one expected to be completed by August 2016.

Phase one will include the build of the four court sports hall, the 3G pitch and car park and phase two to include the main stand.

Developing the site on a phased approach will enable the sports facilities to be built as soon as possible while leaving more time to develop a strong and commercially viable model before starting on the construction of the main stand as phase two.

To ensure the football pitch meets the Football Association’s criteria, the facilities will include a terrace with a minimum of 250 seats on the east side of the pitch as part of phase one.

The new CSF will serve an area of the borough that has high inactivity levels and will offer a programme of activity attracting local people of all ages to become more active, more often – a key outcome in the council’s five year plan.

Councillor Martin Carter, commissioner for community and leisure, said: ”The new community sports facility is one of our key foundation facilities for our emerging leisure strategy which is designed to ensure we have excellent leisure facilities for the next generation and beyond.

“By offering this multi-purpose facility we will be able to provide new and innovative leisure pursuits whilst also delivering on our promise of bringing Slough Town home.

“Our phased approach allows us to get the right operator involvement at the earliest stages while ensuring we move this project forward swiftly. At its heart, this new development delivers on our aspirations of delivering new and exciting infrastructure designed to inspire more people to be more active more often.” The CSF aims to develop a community focused project with the following facilities: • a community football facility which meets both FA Grade C and FIFA two star pitch standards • a flexible use 3G artificial pitch that can be used for football and rugby • spectator capacity of up to 1,950 with a minimum of 250 covered • changing facilities for home and away teams • changing facilities for officials • first aid and physiotherapy facilities • spectator wash rooms • a hospitality area with directors’ facilities • ticket office • turnstiles • car parking (102 dedicated spaces plus shared use of the adjacent free school’s car park).

Members also approved the work to refurbish Orchard Community Centre so The Creative Academy can be relocated from its current home at the West Wing Arts Centre on the Arbour Park site, and create a new grass pitch for St Joseph’s Secondary School.

The completion of the above is paramount to delivering key deadlines for the development of the whole Arbour Park site.

The development of the CSF will be done in partnership with the Slough Regeneration Partnership (SRP).

To achieve the above, the Arbour Park development includes four separate schemes which are interdependent: • the new Lynch Hill Free School • internal remodelling to St Joseph’s Secondary School • a four court sports hall and multi-use games area for St Joseph’s Secondary School • a new community sports facility.

The application for community sports facilities at the Arbour Park site was agreed by the Planning Committee in February 2015.

A follow up report outlining options and timescales for delivering phase two will be taken to cabinet in November 2015.

A statement from Slough Town FC read: "We're hugely excited by the large step forward taken on what has been a very long journey for Slough Town Football Club.

"The project offers great opportunities for the people of Slough to participate in sport and also provides a base in the town for the club.

"We look forward to working closely with the council in the coming months as there is obviously still a long way to go, but we're now really starting to believe that a new chapter in Slough Town's story is about to begin."