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Issued:12/03/13
Plans to redevelop Sheffield Hallam University's Bawtry Road sports facilities have received top support as local sporting stars Howard Webb, Mark Aston and Adrian Henderson cut the turf on the £5m-plus project.
The redeveloped site will be known as Sheffield Hallam University Sports Park after its major revamp to create international standard rugby and football pitches, versatile synthetic pitches and a brand new sports pavilion named after Graham Solley, the University's former head of sport.
Premiership referee Howard gave the plans his seal of approval, less than 24 hours after officiating in the FA Cup quarter final between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford.
He said: "It's wonderful that these sporting facilities are something that local people can use and that people are investing in sport for this generation and the next as well."
Mark, chief executive and head coach of Super League chasing Sheffield Eagles, added: "We always talk about sport and education being a vehicle for success and this facility epitomises that."
The site, part of a £100m programme of development at the University, is available to Sheffield Hallam students, but will also be used by local community teams playing a range of sports.
Mark Swales, director of estates and facilities at the University, said: "This is a significant and exciting investment for the University, but it will also benefit the community teams who use the site. Sheffield Hallam has a long term sport strategy and the investment in the new Sports Park is key to achieving that."
The sports pavilion is being designed by specialist sports architects Watson Batty and will be situated in the centre of the site. Project management is being undertaken by Rider Levett Bucknall and Henry Boot is the main contractor for the project.
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The project is expected to be completed by autumn 2013.
Sheffield Hallam is one of the UK's leading universities in the business of sport, with one of the largest cohorts of sport students in the UK. The University provides a broad range of courses covering all aspects of sport science, management, development, society & culture, coaching, PE & Youth sport. Sheffield Hallam's sports courses were recently ranked ninth in the 2013 Times Good University Guide league table.
The University also has three internationally renowned sports research centres, providing a range of high quality research and sport consultancy services for clients such as Adidas, UK Sport, Puma, several Team GB Olympic squads and many more.
For press information contact:Laurie Harvey on 0114 225 2621 or email pressoffice@shu.ac.uk
