COULD the Olympics be coming to Leigh?

The multi-million pound Leigh Sports Village has been put forward as a possible training camp during the 2012 Games which are to be held in London.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell sent a letter to every MP asking them to nominate any location in their constituency which would be suitable for use during the world's biggest sporting event.

Leigh MP Andy Burnham, a staunch supporter of the Marshall Street project, contacted Trevor Barton, Leigh & District Sports Partnership chairman, and he wrote to the chair of the 2012 Nations and Regions Group, Charles Allen.

Mr Burnham said: "This is a sign of our confidence in the quality of the facility being built. We want to ensure that as well as giving Leigh a first class facility, the Village is going to be of national significance. We think it's capable of offering something on the biggest possible stage.

"The Government say it wants every part of the country to benefit from the Olympics. We would like to see Leigh Sports Village as a part of 2012 and think it would be the crowning glory."
The Village could be used by one of the 201 competing countries as a training and base camp during either the Olympics or the Paralympics.

The proposal is only in the very early stages – Mr Barton contacted Mr Allen for the first time this week – but Mr Burnham insists Leigh has to aim high.

He added: "I think this would place us on the national map and we have got to believe anything is possible. It would drive interest in sport and give the community the excitement and enthusiasm that the Games will bring."
The £67m Sports Village should be fully completed well before 2012 with the foundations already in place for the sporting and educational project's first phase – Leigh East RL's pavilion which will be ready by summer this year.
On February 1 a hearing is to be held at Leigh Town Hall to discuss the diversion of a footpath which currently runs through the proposed Leigh Harriers athletics track.

In mid-February work will start on the general infrastructure of the complex, then the new Harriers track and Wigan & Leigh College complex followed by the 10,000 capacity stadium – due to be finished by autumn 2007 – and the hotel and commercial outlets. Mr Barton is hopeful that in the coming months the whole project will be at 'unconditional' status – meaning that the contracts for building work to start have been signed on all aspects of the complex.

Meanwhile, the consultation process continues on the official website at www.leighsportsvillage.co.uk with the latest polls involving the stadium's seating or standing debate and the naming of new roads.

Taken from www.leightoday.co.uk

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