Hull City charity shares £2m vision for West Park

A £2m redevelopment of sports facilities in Hull's West Park could see outdoor pitches reopen for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.

The plans, unveiled by the Tigers Trust, a not-for-profit charity linked to Hull City, include refurbishing and extending the Tigers Trust Arena, bringing the artificial pitches back into use and creating a new community sports campus.

The charity said the scheme would also provide a permanent base for the growth of girls' football following its recent accreditation as an Emerging Talent Centre.

Chief Executive Karina Ellis said reopening the pitches would increase opportunities for children, young people and adults to take part in sport.

She said the wider development would also help the charity expand its education and community programmes, support more people to lead active, healthy and happy lives and create opportunities for learning and employment.

Proposals, which would need to be approved by Hull City Council, include a new building containing changing rooms and toilets, a two-storey extension to the existing arena, multi-use studio space for activities such as dance and yoga, additional teaching rooms, a Hull City heritage area and a potential nursery.

Landscaping work is also planned to improve safety around an area of parkland that is currently unused and overgrown.

The trust leases both the pitches and the indoor arena from the Stadium Management Company.

Officials said they expected to secure about three-quarters of the funding for the project from external sources, with the remainder being met by the charity.

If the plans are approved, work on the outdoor pitches could begin in early 2027, with the overall redevelopment expected to be delivered over a two-year period, the charity added.

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