A NEW football community hub at the County Ground will provide increased sporting provision and breath new life into the club, according to Swindon Town Football in the Community head of trust Jon Holloway.

The Community Trust received the green light to build a new two-storey facility complete with office space, changing rooms and classrooms as well as an all-weather 3G pitch on land adjacent to the home of Swindon Town.

News of the approval was welcomed by many following an initial decision by the council before Christmas to reject the Trust’s proposal.

It is hoped work to build the new facility will start at the end of this summer, with the aim of opening the building in the first quarter of next year.

Mr Holloway said running programmes in the shadow of the County Ground will help to inspire youngsters and develop programmes aimed at the older generation as well.

He added: “We were ecstatic (when we got the green light) - over the moon - to have a unanimous decision was fantastic.

“The main part will be the club hub which will be a two-storey community building which will have four changing rooms, new office space for our community trust, a social area and café on the ground floor.

“Upstairs we’ll have a large multi-use activity room that can be partitioned into two rooms to deliver more of our community projects and programmes.

“They’ll also be a community room, education room and more office space.

“They’ll be two balconies as well – one overlooking the athletics track and another overlooking the 3G pitch.

“The other element is the full size 3G all-weather sports pitch.

“It’s massive that we’re right next to the County Ground.

“It will certainly inspire the youngsters when they come to the main ground and train alongside it. It will be brilliant.”

The new development has been in the Trust’s plans for 10 years, during which time they have saved enough money to make a ‘significant contribution’ towards the project.

The Trust, formed in 1991, aims to deliver and increase participation in football from those aged three and upwards.

Annually, Swindon Town Football in the Community aims to work with 30,000 people.

And Mr Holloway confirmed the new facility will grant his team more scope to grow programmes and engage with more local people.

“It will be massive for us as a community trust,” he said.

“It’s been a long-term aspiration and dream for 10 years.

“We were approached by the council two years ago to develop a scheme alongside the Swindon Harriers Athletics Club.

“We’re now working extremely hard to bring all those funding pots together to complete the programme.”