Planning permission is being sought for a series of proposals to boost sports facilities in a Nuneaton community.

Plans were submitted to Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council last week showing proposals to improve facilities at the town's Tomkinson Road recreation area, including the addition of a cricket pavilion and an increase in the number of sports pitches to four.

Plans were also submitted to build an all weather pitch on land at Vernons Lane used by Manor Park School. And further plans were submitted to sell an unused part of the Vernons Lane land for housing.

Education chiefs hope that the money from the sale of the land at Vernons Lane will provide most of the funding for the all weather pitch and the improvements to Tomkinson Road.

These plans, although separately funded, are part of an overall scheme to transform sports facilities at Manor Park School, in an exciting £1 million development which is still awaiting government approval and funding.

The proposed development at the school will include:

• refurbishment of the existing sports hall, adding new changing facilities and a café / social area, also a reception, office and store room area
• a full-size all-weather pitch with floodlights suitable for hockey or football
• replacing the old redgra pitch and tennis courts with five floodlit multi-use games areas with an all-weather surface, suitable for tennis, football, short hockey and kwik cricket
• converting the tarmac area next to the sports hall into a netball and basketball court
• upgrading the existing gym and converting it into a dance and aerobics studio
• refurbishment of the existing changing rooms

In addition to the money raised from the sale of the land at Vernons Lane, the proposals will also be part-funded by an exciting partnership with a private company - Short Sided Soccer.

Short Sided Soccer have agreed to invest £250,000 in the project, and in return they will manage the facilities out of school hours.

 A bid has been made to the government's New Deal For Schools Fund for the rest of the funding.

According to Manor Park headteacher John Brodie, the proposals, together with the plans submitted to the borough council last week, which are not dependent on government funding, will allow a complete transformation of the sports facilities used by the school and a major improvement in the facilities available to the community - without the loss of any playing area currently in use.

He said:

"This is brilliant news for our school. It will mean that we will be able to upgrade the whole of our sports and leisure facilities, which will be a huge asset to both the school and the local community.

"We are a community school and obviously the facilities will benefit everyone. It will also build on the success that we are having already, particularly in sports like basketball."

The school's Year 9 basketball team recently reached the last eight of a national competition, and other school team reached the semi-finals of a three-a-side basketball competition in Cardiff.

The school also has strong links with the Standard Hockey Club and Griff and Coton Cricket Club.

©1995-2000 Coventry Internet Developments Ltd