NEM revises £24m Sportcity BMX centre
New East Manchester, the urban regeneration company, is preparing to start work on the BMX centre to Manchester Velodrome after revising the plans slightly.
A report on the centre is expected to be approved by the City Council's executive board on 22 July. A full planning application has been submitted and is due to be decided upon at the end of July, following executive board approval.
The size of the building has been reduced in the latest plans from 150,000 sq ft to 110,000 sq ft and seating capacity from 4,500 to 2,000. Sports courts originally planned to go in the middle of the 70x100m track have been removed.
The BMX centre, to be built to national and international competition standard, will occupy the car park to the east of the existing velodrome, home to the triumphant Olympic Team GB cyclists. The office element of the revised building plan has been enlarged to accommodate the British Cycling Federation, which will now move into the new facility.
Construction work is due to begin in January 2010 on a 15-month build. Funding applications are pending approval at the City Council, Sport England and the North West Development Agency.
