Designs for a £10.3m Sports, Culture and Leisure Village in Heywood, in Manchester, are currently the subject of a public consultation.

The proposed development, designed by KKA Architects, includes a sports hall, a six-lane, 25m swimming pool, a learners' pool, a dance studio, a 90-station fitness suite and a youth gym, training rooms as well as indoor and outdoor changing rooms. There will also be an additional floodlit artificial turf football pitch, improved grass pitches reconfigured to include three full-sized, one junior and three mini football pitches. The project, designed to enhance the area's economic regeneration, is being led by Rochdale Council, leisure trust Link 4 Life and community partnership New Heart for Heywood. If approved the development will be part-funded by New Heart for Heywood (£4m), the Football Foundation (£1m) and Sport England (£0.5m) and the council (£4.8m).

The designs will be considered by the council in April, and if the project is taken forward building of the new centre is expected to begin in Spring 2009, with completion due in Summer 2010. The new development will be operated by Link 4 Life under a 15-year partnership agreement with the council. Vicki Devonport, chief executive of the New Heart for Heywood Partnership, said “It is great news that the Football Foundation and Sport England have approved these grants, and it is another major hurdle that has been jumped to make the Sports, Culture and Leisure village a reality, and create a lasting legacy.

"Now that the funding is in place for the project to move ahead, the real challenge begins. We look forward to working with partners to put into place structures to ensure that the programme and services delivered from the centre are shaped by the local community, including young people.”