Media

Final consultation on Iffley Road sports complex

27 January 2010

The University of Oxford is set to reveal plans this week for the significant redevelopment of its Sports Centre on Iffley Road.
 
Plans for the Sports Complex, designed by Faulkner Brown Architects, are to be revealed at the second public consultation held at the University Rugby Club Pavilion from 3pm until 8pm on Thursday 28 January 2010.  This consultation follows the first public consultation held in November which demonstrated the early conceptual vision and proposed massing of the buildings. Furthermore, this consultation identifies the development of the design and addresses any comments and suggestions that were raised by members of the public in the first consultation. Planning permission will be applied for in spring 2010.
 
Having obtained approval by the City Council for the new indoor tennis centre and outdoor courts adjacent to Iffley Road, the exhibition on 28th January 2010 will feature the design proposals for the new main sports centre building and the new grandstand and will demonstrate the overall vision for the Iffley Road Sports Centre Master Plan. For the first time for many years the whole site, including the famous running track, will be visible to passers by on Iffley Road
 
The existing sports centre will be completely redeveloped to provide new "state of the art facilities" for over 82 different indoor sports and the existing swimming pool will be retained throughout the course of the development and will form part of the integrated main sports centre. The existing grandstand will be demolished and a new lower grandstand building will be constructed to meet the growing needs for cricket and projectile sports.
 
Some of the key plans for the stage two development are listed below:
 

  • The main sports centre building will comprise of one double-sized and one single size sports hall linked and fronted by a timber and glazed structure housing the main entrance and atrium foyer, two storey gym facilities, cafe/restaurant, sporting rooms, meeting rooms and offices. This will front onto and acknowledge the famous running track where Roger Bannister completed the worlds first sub-four-minute mile.
  • The current grandstand will be redeveloped and replaced by a new lower but longer building which contains an indoor cricket school, a projectiles range, spectator seating, changing rooms and meeting rooms. The proposed grandstand building will enhance existing views which are currently obstructed by the current, taller grandstand.
  • The removal of the solid timber fence and installation of railings and key public view points along Iffley Road will open up views onto the site and the new buildings will be seen bordering the running track and set within the existing tree boundaries and surrounding landscape.  Seventy five percent of the 20,000 students at Oxford are estimated to take part in sports. Currently the University Sports Complex is working at capacity in most areas, without the ability to come close to catering for its own University sports market, let alone the growing community interest. The plans allow the University to develop top class facilities for a wide range of sports and allow it to offer membership of the gym, and where appropriate membership of enlarged 'open' based sports clubs, such as judo and fencing, to the local community.

 
The scheme also facilitates the removal of an ad hoc collection of outdated and small buildings, replacing them with new facilities which respond to their environment and appear as part of a coherent integrated sports complex.  Access for disabled users also needs to be improved and would place difficult demands on the existing facilities.
 
Jon Roycroft, Director of Sport at Oxford University said: "Following on from the exciting news that we have obtained planning permission for the indoor tennis centre, we are now moving onto the challenge of fully developing plans for the University to fundraise and build the highest quality indoor sports facilities for the 21st century and accommodate growth for the next fifty years.
 
"These much needed facilities will be used by University sports teams, the University at large and importantly the local community as individual members of the fitness/health facilities and where appropriate as members of enlarged 'open' based sports clubs, such as judo and fencing which aren't already well established in the city. At the moment our teams are jostling for space so this will enable them to train as much as they can - fitting it in around their academic requirements."
 
The original indoor facilities were built to accommodate around six sports, however there are well over 40 indoor sports now in operation, all with male and female sections and in some cases a very successful community section. A further 40 'outdoor' sports exist within the University which would also benefit from improved indoor facilities of this quality, for strength and conditioning and support services.
 
For more information and photographs contact The University of Oxford Press Office on press.office@admin.ox.ac.uk or 01865 280528

Notes to Editors:

  • The proposed new facilities would allow the University to expand provision in relation to its wide range of sports and although, of necessity, the main user base of the facilities will remain the students and staff of the University, it is planned to significantly increase the opportunities for community use.

    The existing swimming pool, gym and hockey pitch have a high level of community membership and use and expanding on this will be a key element of the development, with particular emphasis on the expanded gym facility, which the University is keen to see as being the best quality and value for money provision in east Oxford, thereby offering a direct service to the local (walking distance) community. The University would also look to expand its existing outreach programme for local schools and increase the availability of all its facilities through the School Sports Coordinator post based at Iffley Rd for major community events.
  • The following components will be included in the development:
    • 1 single and 1 double '4 court' sports halls.
    • Dedicated fencing salle.
    • Enhanced fitness facilities.
    • 3 glass baked squash courts.
    • County standard martial arts dojo.
    • Multi-use sports studios.
    • Heavy weights room.
    • Climbing/bouldering wall.
    • Extended café area to act as social heart.
    • Meeting Rooms.
    • Expanded fully disability accessible changing rooms.
    • Refurbished pool changing areas.
  • The existing running track stand and cricket school to be redeveloped as one building, incorporating:
    • Cricket school development, 4 lanes, Hawkeye technology, etc
    • Projectile Room, for rifle, pistol and archery clubs
    • New high quality football/athletics changing areas.
    • Low level covered spectator/viewing areas.