LOTTO cash has hit the spot for sports enthusiasts in Coddenham with the news the village has been awarded more than £400,000 towards a community sports centre.
By James Fraser
LOTTO cash has hit the spot for sports enthusiasts in Coddenham with the news the village has been awarded more than £400,000 towards a community sports centre.
Villagers have had plans for a £500,000 pavilion, bowling green and games area for 16 years.
The announcement today of the £425,136 lottery award by Sport England brings these exciting new facilities a tantalising step closer.
Work is now expected to start early next year on one and half acres of land next to the village playing field and it is hoped that all the facilities will up and running by the summer.
The project will also house a visiting doctor's surgery.
Donald Burton, vice chairman of Coddenham parish council welcomed the news, saying: "It is a very exciting time for us in the village.
"Undoubtedly it will draw people closer together and boost community spirit and, obviously on the purely practical side, save people time, money and effort by not having to travel elsewhere for their recreation."
The two Saturday and Sunday football teams fielded by Coddenham Country Club FC, both newly promoted from their respective leagues, are set to benefit as the players will be able to enjoy proper changing facilities in the pavilion.
The brick building with a pitched roof – designed to blend in with the rural surroundings – will be big enough for a badminton court, as well as having meeting rooms, disabled friendly changing facilities, kitchen and storage areas.
The meeting room has already been earmarked for use as a visiting doctor's surgery.
The pavilion will overlook a new six rink artificial turf bowling green. Nearby, a hard-surface game area is set to be used for sports such as tennis, netball and five-a-side football.
Mid Suffolk District Council has granted £35,000 towards the cost of the project, which has also been funded by the Gardemau Trust through the proceeds of the sale of the existing small village hall for residential use as well as fundraising.
The cost of building the access road and drainage works is being met by the Day Trust, developers of nearby housing for the elderly.
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