A consultation has revealed strong support for plans to create a sports village on the edge of Boroughbridge.
The Stray Ferret revealed last month local gym owner Darren Sadler and Boroughbridge Town Council were behind the scheme.
The 10-acre site at Aldborough Gate would include free to use community facilities, including a games field, a one kilometre running track, a sprint track and a multi-use games areas for team sports such as five-a-side football and netball, as well as a meeting room and a nature reserve.
There would also be a gym and functional strength training centre and a health food café run on a commercial basis by Mr Sadler, a former World’s Strongest Man competitor.
Of the 1,193 consultation responses so far, 93% either agree or strongly agree the facility would improve the health and wellbeing of the residents of Boroughbridge and neighbouring communities.
A total of 84% said physical activities were important to them with a fully equipped gym, exercise classes and outdoor games field generating the most support.
‘One of the biggest things we’ve ever done’
The proposal has been brought forward by Mr Sadler, the town council and Boroughbridge Sports Village, which is a newly formed charity.
The Stray Ferret met Cllr Sean Hynes, the mayor of Boroughbridge and Mr Sadler at his Absolute Fitness gym this week to find out more about the venture.
Mr Sadler is buying land off the town council to fund the commercial side of the operation.
Cllr Hynes said “all money we get from the sale of land will be put back into the project” to create free community facilities. He added:
“It’s one of the biggest things the town council has ever been involved in and we are pleased to have Darren and his team as a partner.
“We are all aware Boroughbridge is doubling in size but there are few places for young people to go.”
The sports village proposal revives previously failed town council plans to build sports facilities on the land, said Cllr Hynes. He added:
“The council is very excited about this. For a small town council it is a massive project and without Darren’s involvement, it would not get off the ground.”
‘We want to create a supergym’
Boroughbridge-born Mr Sadler no longer competes in strongman but over the last 10 years has had phenomenal success in the sport as a promoter.
He started off staging events in car parks and now organises World’s Strongest Man qualifying events under the Giants Live banner that regularly sell out huge arenas worldwide. Many of the biggest names in strongman regularly visit his gym.
His current schedule includes events at the Royal Albert Hall in London and in Las Vegas.
He said Absolute Fitness had outgrown its current site in Roecliffe and a new facility with a full equipped gym, including strength and functional training areas would enable the gym to help more people get fit, especially youngsters.
A map showing the location.
The proposed site
He added:
“We want to create a supergym and make it famous across the country. Every month I’d like to have special guests. I can get all the top strongmen to come, like Hafthor Bjornsson and Eddie Hall, but I want to bring in people from other sports as well.”
Mr Sadler said the extra space would also enable the gym to cater for martial arts, dance and a broader range of fitness classes.
A public consultation event at Boroughbridge Community Library this month.
A public consultation took place at Boroughbridge Community Library this month and people can still take part in the phase one consultation here. A planning application is expected to be submitted to North Yorkshire Council within the next month.
Cllr Hynes said there had already been “positive discussions” with the council about it but with a lengthy planning process ahead, neither party is willing to commit to a timeframe.
Mr Sadler said:
“We don’t want to rush. We want to get it right.”
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