A £2.5 MILLION state-of-the-art all-weather football centre is to be built in Chester.
Goals Soccer Centres will create 10 all-weather synthetic football pitches with fully licensed refreshment areas, sport lounge, changing rooms and parking on land adjacent to Chester FC’s Exacta Stadium.
The 2.2-acre plot at Chester Commerce Park, on Bumpers Lane, has been let to the five-a-side and seven-a-side football centres’ operator as part of a new 70-year ground lease.
Contracts were exchanged in October and construction work started at the site this month to create the fully enclosed arenas, each with the latest 5G rubber crumb synthetic grass.
The work is due for completion in March.
A spokesman from surveyors, Hindley Lawrence, acting on behalf of property contractors Barlows and land owners Chester West and Chester Council, said:
“Chester Commerce Park is emerging as one of Chester’s main leisure destinations, and there are approximately 3.5 acres of land remaining for further leisure and commercial development.”
The company, which works in partnership with sportswear brand Umbro and football magazine FourFourTwo, have more than 42 football centres throughout the UK.
The Chester-based facility will include floodlights allowing teams to play from 9am up until 11pm, seven days a week.
Council leader Cllr Mike Jones said the news was a massive coup for the city.
He added: “We are always encouraging investment in the borough and pushing to create jobs so we are working all the time for potential investment and this is one of those that came through.
“I’m delighted that it will create jobs and tidies up an area that is in need of redevelopment and it will help to support development of football in city, which is a boost following the success of Chester FC.
“It is a commercial venture but it is a way of providing all-year-round facilities – an excellent opportunity to support sports development in Chester.”
Teams can block book the same pitch every week with a guaranteed full hour of football.
As part of a launch offer, teams can play for £10 during the opening week of March 18 to 25, or join in a full range of FA affiliated five-a-side leagues, with 40 minute matches.
Teams can also take up the offer of a free football kit for the first 50 to join a Goals league.