First groups move in at Sports Village

8:55am Thursday 6th September 2007

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TWO major elements of the Leigh Sports Village project were opened to the public for the first time this week.

The new Sixth Form College welcomed its first intake of students on Monday while amateur rugby league side, Leigh East, will play their inaugural game this weekend.

Although completion of the sports hall and swimming pool has been delayed, work on the 10,000 stadium for Leigh Centurions and Leigh RMI, remains more or less on track with construction due to start on the 135-bed four-star hotel within the next two weeks.

Laying of the stadium pitch has been hit by the poor weather but both this and the hotel are scheduled for completion in May next year.

Sports Village spokesman, Trevor Barton, says: "We are getting closer to the actual reality of using the Village and as outsiders now begin to see the potential of this huge project, they are overwhelmed by the scale and quality of what is being provided.

"What is really exciting is the thought of a new cohort of students starting at the brand new sixth form College on Monday.

"When you walk round this three-storey building, with all its different faculties, you realise what a real headache it has been for the College authorities to get this ready for use.

All of us hope that this fantastic facility will spur on successions of students over the next few years into developing as human beings and contributing to society. It is very encouraging to know that the numbers applying for courses at the College this year are at a record high.

"Although the project is called Leigh Sports Village, the new College has always been at the centre of our aspirations. This is a genuine investment in the future of our citizens."

But site developers are still being plagued by trespassers and vandalism.

Mr Barton adds: "We have had a combination of incursions onto the site by quad bikes, 4 x 4s, motorbikes, etc., together with people using the fields for impromptu barbecues and setting fires and digging holes.

"Parents should be aware that the LSV building site is a very dangerous place to allow their children to play. Everyone on the site, particularly the police and security will be trying to exclude trespassers.

"Consistent anti-social behaviour will, as anywhere else in the Borough, not be tolerated and Wigan and Leigh Homes have been working with the team to ensure that parents are fully aware of the risks that they take in condoning this behaviour."