Wigan council leader Peter Smith could be forgiven for feeling a twinge of pride after thousands of rugby fans flocked to Leigh’s new sports stadium at last month’s inaugural match.
For five years after the council first put forward plans for Leigh Sports Village, the dream has become a reality, with many of the facilities now open.
But to understand how it all happened you have to go even further back in time – to a rainy winter’s night eight years ago at Leigh Miners’ Welfare Institute.
That was the venue for a meeting that, in hindsight, will be seen to have changed the future of the town.
Sporting clubs, schools and community leaders, still smarting from the rejection of the ill-fated Xanadu snowdome plans, got together to decide if the time was right to change track.
Was there a chance of creating a sports and education complex that had widespread grassroots community support? Equally important, could the town’s sporting clubs sink any differences and share the facilities?
Three Leythers with a common love of sport were there on that February night in 2001: Richard Waterfield, chairman of the famous baking firm, Leigh Miners rugby club’s Trevor Barton and Wigan Council leader Peter Smith.
Peter Smith takes up the story:
“The idea came from meetings I had with Andy Burnham, Trevor Barton and Wigan developers Greenbank Partnership after Xanadu failed to get planning permission a few years ago.
“We said, what can we do with this piece of land that’s obviously of interest to developers in such a prime location? How could we give something back to the public of Leigh that was unique?
“It was still a dream then, but thanks to a massive amount of work by all concerned the sharing concept has evolved. It has become the foundation of what has happened over the past five years. With the fantastic support of Leigh people it really is about to happen.”
The impact in terms of physical regeneration has been immediate.
The stadium, leisure centre and pool, college and hotel are all providing extra facilities for the eastern side of our borough.
And while the credit crunch is affecting the progress of some of the commercial developments originally planned, there’s no doubt the sports village has massively raised the profile of Leigh.
Peter Smith adds:
“It was obvious from the very first game at the stadium that people were really proud of what’s on offer.
“In the future we need to ensure that those wonderful new facilities are used for social as well as physical regeneration.
“Already the college is offering a wider range of courses, there are more opportunities to take part in sport and it’s making people feel better about local life.
“There really is nowhere else in the country where you can get such a range of facilities under one roof.
“I am proud that the council and its partners have created something so important to the future of Leigh.”
The cost of the public sector facilities is around £40m – around half the total cost of the scheme – which includes the cost of building Leigh East clubhouse, Leigh Harriers athletic track and stadium, the swimming pool & sports hall and the stadium itself plus infrastructure costs.
The council has directly funded approximately £16m of this – with the help of Sport England (£0.7m) and the North West Development Agency (£5m).
Above, the main entrance to the sports village (Photo by Leigh Reporter) and below, an aerial view of the development courtesy of local helicopter pilot Colin Day.
It also released a significant element of land at both Grasmere street (former home of Leigh East) and at Leigh Sports Village for private sector development through Greenbank Partnerships. Leigh Harriers also contributed £4m through the sale of their Holden Road site.
Village has something for everyone
The £83m Leigh Sports Village is the biggest investment in public sports, leisure and educational facilities in Wigan borough in recent years. Wigan Council is the driving force and has part-funded the exciting project, which has transformed Leigh into one of the North-West’s sporting centres of excellence.
Both professional and amateur sports clubs across the town will benefit from the new and enhanced facilities, as well as amateur clubs across a whole range of sports.
However, Leigh Sports Village has not just been built to benefit sports clubs.
Local residents of all ages, and schools and colleges are able to access the facilities, which include a Profiles gym; a 25m six lane swimming pool; and six “3rd Generation“, floodlit, all weather pitches.
The new 10,000 capacity stadium will also offer superb conference and hospitality facilities.
With 22 corporate hospitality boxes, a function room for up to 170 people and a boardroom, the stadium will make a superb venue for business and personal celebrations and events.
As well as the sporting and hospitality facilities, the Village is also home to the 150 bedroom four star Park Inn hotel and a brand new, state-of-the-art Leigh Sixth Form College. The campus, which is part of Wigan & Leigh College, offers over 300 students amenities including specialist science laboratories, media edit suites and a multi-disciplinary performance space.
Commercial and office space has been slower to develop due to the credit crunch but developers Greenbank are now confident of making progress.
For more information about Leigh Sports Village, including conference and hospitality bookings, please call 01942 487487 or visit Leigh Sports Village (external link)
