Sheffield Olympic legacy park planning application submitted

The Olympic Legacy Park will be built on the site of the former Don Valley Stadium

Plans have been submitted to Sheffield City Council for the proposed 26-acre Olympic Legacy Park to be built on the former Don Valley Stadium site.

The park includes an Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC), 3,000-seat arena, University Technical College and an academy for 1,200 pupils.

In March, the government announced it was giving £14m towards building the AWRC.

It has also attracted £1.5m from Japanese electronics firm Toshiba.

The project leader and former sports minister, Sheffield MP Richard Caborn, said: "This will be a hugely exciting and innovative project bringing together world-class health, education and sport facilities in a unique and cutting-edge environment."

The park, a joint venture between Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield City Council and the private sector, is due to open next year.

It will incorporate the existing English Institute of Sport and iceSheffield.

Although the site was not involved in the 2012 Olympic Games, it has retained the name since the idea for the developing the area was first mooted.

Don Valley Stadium was closed and demolished in 2013 to save money.