Kidbrooke: New Multi-Sports Venue For Royal Borough Gets Go-ahead

by our RGB correspondent | Woolwich

Plans to create a leading new indoor multi-sports centre in the Royal Borough of Greenwich have been approved by the borough’s Planning Board.

The Royal Borough is building new sports centre to significantly enhance athletics facilities already at the site in Sutcliffe Park, Kidbrooke, and to offer a high quality centre with provision for a range of sports all year round.

Under the Royal Borough’s proposals, the existing building will be demolished with the new indoor Centre built next to the outdoor athletics track in Sutcliffe Park. The new indoor centre will include the following extensive first-class facilities:

* A six lane, 60 metre sprint track plus run off

* Full jumps provision (long, triple and high jump)

* Indoor throwing cage and netting accommodating for discus, hammer, javelin and shot put

* Conditioning training weights area

* Indoor BMX/skatepark

* Indoor climbing hall

* Indoor space to be used by schools or groups to train and learn in

* An outdoor covered area to support learning in the park nature reserve

The new building will also include a new café and outside eating, a children's play area and brand new toilets for park users - facilities the local community has been requesting for some time.

All activities and facilities at the new centre will be available for people with disabilities, something that the Royal Borough is committed to as part of its Olympic and Paralympic legacy, including using the new indoor track, throwing cage and conditioning room for training.

Sutcliffe Park is a nature reserve rich in wildlife and careful consideration has been given to ensure the new building complements its surroundings and adds to the environment. The building will include a bio diverse roof and landscaping, including planting new shrubs and trees to complement the ecological biodiversity of the park. Hedging will screen the car park and a new pond will be created on the north side of the building. 

Councillor Miranda Williams, Royal Borough of Greenwich Cabinet Member for Culture and Creative Industries, said: “This is a really exciting development which significantly adds to a list of leading sports facilities in the borough we’re extremely proud of."

"We will be able to offer local people the chance to take part in athletics and adventure sports all year round in a brand new sports centre. It will significantly improve the facilities already at Sutcliffe Park and continues our long-held commitment to creating the best possible sporting facilities in our borough.

"We want to encourage as many local people as possible to take part in sports and this centre will offer a fantastic range of community sport and recreational facilities for the local area and beyond.”

The decision is subject to the usual Council call-in procedures.