Work to start on new £7.5m football hub at ex-Sheffield school site before Christmas

Councillors are set to approve plans for the Football Association and Sheffield Council project at Westfield School in Mosborough next week.

The site will be the third new football hub to be built in the city as part of the ‘Parklife’ partnership between the FA, Sport England and the council.

A report going to members of Sheffield Council’s planning committee said £4.4m of Government funding for the project is dependant on work being under way by the end of March 2017.

It said: “In order to hit the target, works must start well before Christmas on forming the access road to the site.

“The contractor for the project can only be secured once planning permission is obtained.”

It is intended the new facility will include two artificial football pitches, a grass rugby pitch and a new pavilion that will include a gym, changing rooms, a club room and a bar.

The six grass pitches that are currently in use on the site will be improved and regraded to create more level playing surfaces.

A new access road is to be built off Moss Way, with a 200-space car park also being built.

Work is already under way on the former Westfield School site on a parallel project to build 150 new homes on the land.

A report going to councillors said the football hub plans ‘will provide a much-needed boost to local sports provision’.

A further report will be provided to councillors to address ‘outstanding issues’ with the application before Tuesday’s planning meeting.