'Key phase' of SportsTown, including netball courts, set to be decided on

Oldham's ambitious SportsTown project is set for a major milestone next week as councillors decide whether to approve plans for new netball courts and other facilities around Boundary Park. The £70m development, which aims to transform the area around Oldham Athletic's stadium into a sporting and educational hub, includes proposals for three outdoor netball courts on unused land next to the recently completed Little Wembley pitch.

The netball courts have generated particular excitement among local sports enthusiasts, with Oldham Netball Club and other community groups expressing strong support for the development. The application also covers new changing rooms between Little Wembley and Boundary Park, terraced seating for spectators, and a new 'Bee Way' pedestrian path running along the north side of the stadium.

Other proposals include modifications to the Boundary Park car park to accommodate coaches and electric vehicle charging points, plus an eye-catching nine-metre tall art installation featuring an industrial wheel surrounding an embryo topped with an owl. The sculpture pays homage to Oldham's industrial heritage and its connection to the world's first IVF baby.

Planning officers have recommended approval of the application, describing it as 'an additional step in the provision of an improved range of sporting facilities at the site with the associated health benefits from increased sports participation.' The decision will be made at Oldham Council's planning committee meeting on Wednesday, April 15.