NANTWICH will boast one of the borough's prominent leisure facilities with a development costing over half a million pounds.

The whole community will benefit from the new-look Barony Park which is to have around £650,000 invested into a "fantastic" scheme.

A brand new pavilion will be the centre piece of the extensive re-development, together with floodlighting for a roller-hockey and roller-skating rink.

Work is scheduled to start on the site next month and expected to be completed by the middle of next year.

Last week councillors voted to accept a Sport England Lottery Grant of £421,000 which will meet the bulk of the cost.

They also agreed to top it up from current capital allocations and agreed a supplementary sum of £40,000 to help reach the financial outlay.

Principle leisure officer, Cliff Stansfield said it was a major and long-awaited development.

"We're just doing the formalities and finalising details and we're hoping to start work ASAP.

"It is a significant leisure development and it will completely enhance the look of Barony Park.

"The old pavilion was burned down about four years ago and it was completely gutted. The footballers have had to use portable cabins to change in."

The new two storey pavilion will replace all the existing facilities.

It will include first floor changing facilities, available for those using the Barony park pitches, as well an extensive fitness suite on the ground floor together with a meeting room.

Facilities will also be provided for the Park Attendant and the current car park will be extended.

"The pavilion will be designed to have the look of Nantwich," said Mr Stansfield. "We wanted it to be attractive and keep the look of the town's heritage."

Youngsters will be particularly excited at the development of a roller-skating and roller-hockey rink.

"It's going to be a pretty unique facility for the borough. When word got out about the development, many from the community told us what they would like see.

"A petition was sent asking for a skate park so it's great to provide facilities for the young people who asked for them."

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