Manchester United star Jess Simpson officially opened a brand new £6m sports village at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone following its completion by Conlon Construction.
Common Edge Community Sports Village will transform young people’s experience of sport in the region for generations, boasting 14 new grass football pitches, a full-sized 3G football pitch, a sports pavilion with changing rooms and community space, plus a grass rugby pitch and training area.
The new sports pavilion also comprises six changing rooms, two officials’ rooms, two kitchens and a large community room. A 194-space car park with sustainable drainage and a new access road to the sports village has also been delivered as part of the works.
Its opening marks the completion of the first phase of development at Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone, a scheme that is hoped will ultimately create 3,000 new, quality jobs for local people and spark £300m of private sector investment in the town.
Michael Conlon, chairman at Conlon Construction, said: “This marks the beginning of an exciting era of sport in Blackpool. The facilities at Common Edge are exceptional and set the tone for a new generation of fitness-focused youngsters.
“We’re committed to delivering projects that leave a lasting legacy beyond just bricks and mortar, and Common Edge Community Sports Village represents precisely that. Community facilities such as this act as a springboard for better physical and mental outcomes, whilst boosting participation in local grass roots sports.”
Cllr Mark Smith, Cabinet Member for Levelling Up (Place) at Blackpool Council, said: “This is the first completed phase of our investment into the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone by providing a high-quality community facility that people of all ages will enjoy for years to come.
“Equally, it allows us to move forward with our plans to attract new businesses onto the Enterprise Zone, and in turn, create hundreds more quality jobs that local people can benefit from as we work to make Blackpool better.”
Cllr Jo Farrell, Cabinet Member for Levelling Up (People) at Blackpool Council, said: “Opening one of the first new sports developments in Blackpool for many years shows our commitment to making Blackpool better and creating more opportunities for the local community to play sport and stay active.
“The grass football pitches have already been used for competitions like the Blackpool Cup and received outstanding reviews for the quality of the facilities and playing surface. The FIFA-approved 3G pitch also means an all-weather option for local football teams of all ages as well as being available to hire by individuals.
“The new sports pavilion is a significant upgrade on the previous Common Edge facilities and offers a quality experience for anybody playing or watching.”
Support to build a new access road to the sports village, as well as the new access road to Amy Johnson Way, was provided through a £7.5m grant from HM Government Town Fund, while £250,000 of funding for the construction of the sports pavilion was granted by Football Foundation.
Find out more about Conlon Construction here.
See more news from the DIB network here.
