A new £28.7million sports park off the A12 has delayed its opening - amid fears it would be “overshadowed by the risk of Covid-19”.

The 76-acre Colchester Northern Gateway Sports Park, off junction 28 of the A12, boasts a multi-use sports centre, indoor cricket, fitness suite, two all-weather pitches, an archery range and a one-mile floodlit cycle track with six loops.

Its new state-of-the-art rugby facility will also become the new home of Colchester Rugby Football Club, while there will also been vast green open spaces for people to enjoy - with 500 trees and 31,000 shrubs planted.

The sports park was on track to open by January 2021.

However, the opening has now been postponed until easter 2021.

Theresa Higgins, Colchester Borough Council portfolio holder for commercial services, said: “We cannot wait to welcome each and every one of you to the Northern Gateway Sports Park, but we don’t want the opening of Colchester’s newest attraction overshadowed by the risk of Covid-19.

“Though all council facilities are Covid-secure, we have taken the decision, with a heavy heart, to reschedule the opening until easter 2021, in the hope that the worse of this terrible pandemic will have passed.”

The development is part of a wider sport and leisure development, all being project-managed by Colchester Amphora Trading Ltd.

The sports park received funding from several organisations, including £590,000 from British Cycling and £100,000 from England and Wales Cricket Club.