School to open £1.5m sports facilities to community

The school said the football pitch would be ready next year

A private school plans to spend £1.5m on sports facilities including a 3G Artificial Grass Pitch and a new Padel tennis court, which it intends to make available to the local community.

The facilities at Austin Friars school, in Etterby Scaur, Carlisle, are being developed in partnership with the Football Foundation and Cumberland FA

The school hopes the provision of a Padel court - a racket sport combining elements of tennis and squash which is tipped to become an Olympic sport - will support and inspire future athletes.

Headmaster Chris Hattam said: "Offering support to the community is a core responsibility of our school, and we will strive to provide access to these new facilities."

The independent day school said the football facility, which will be built to Fifa standards, should be ready for use next year.

Craig Lewis, football development manager at Cumberland FA, said he hoped it would become a "thriving community hub for local grassroots sport", such as football, rugby and American football.

Padel is tipped to become an Olympic sport

The building project is funded by a mixture of "benefactors" and "partnerships through a number of agencies", a school spokesman said.

The plans also include a new art and design centre and a food technology department, which the school hopes may support the local hospitality industry.

It has announced plans to invite primary schools to use the space and "educate parents at a series of health-oriented evening classes".