CABINET members will next week discuss plans for a £4m sports and recreation area, and potentially agree to the next steps of the development.

The meeting of Hambleton District Council cabinet on Tuesday, December 4, will provide members with an update with the view to look for match funding for the Sowerby sports and recreation village.

Developers of the 945-home Sowerby Gateway estate will provide more than nine acres of land and £1.5m to the council as part of a development agreement – and £2.5m will be applied for from external organisations such as Sports Lottery and Sports England.

Council leader Mark Robson said: “This is in the very early stages, and it will be a phased development over a period of years.

“The trigger point for being able to start work on the sports village is when around 120 houses in the new development are occupied.”

Plans for the sports and recreation village include a sports pavilion, four car parks with a total of 300 spaces, two full-size rugby pitches, one of which would be floodlit with covered spectator viewing, a floodlit football pitch, several other pitches and a BMX skills track.

The nine-acre site, accessed from Gravel Hole Lane, would be surrounded by trees and a bike and fitness trail, and would also include an amphitheatre, extensions to the existing skatepark and hockey areas, and a cafe.

Coun Robson said: "This is a wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact for the whole area and for people of all ages.

"In creating this plan we have already undertaken extensive consultation with sports, youth and community groups and the principles of creating a sports village to cater for the needs of the community have been established."

If cabinet approves the plans the next steps will include design work, submitting planning applications and external funding bids.

Coun Robson added: “Although it is early days, it does not stop us from doing the preliminary work and finding funding. Cabinet will hopefully approve a move forward in the scheme.”