SPORTS facilities in Bradford city centre have received a major boost after a £500,000 grant was awarded to improve grassroots sports.

The University of Bradford was awarded the grant to carry out a major overhaul of its Laisteridge Lane sports site, creating much improved facilities for both university students and the wider community.

The money has been awarded by the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, and will pay for a new, floodlit, 3G full-size football pitch, four tennis courts, a fully refurbished changing pavilion, officials’ changing rooms, a physio room, reception area and a state of the art conditioning suite geared towards team sport training.

And the FA believes the improved facilities will help create more local football teams.

The facilities will be open to local schools, junior and senior football clubs, sports clubs, the West Riding FA’s Amateur League and the Bradford Sunday Alliance League.

The current Laisteridge Lane pitch and changing accommodation, a few minutes’ walk from the main university campus, have been open for over 15 years and are in a poor state of repair. The current pitches are prone to waterlogging during heavy downpours, while the existing changing rooms are based in two converted squash courts.

The Football Foundation worked in partnership with the university and the West Riding FA to compile a five-year Football Development Plan. This foresees growth in participation levels at the site as a result of the funding.

It predicts that team numbers will rise from 44 to 71 thanks to amateur partner clubs Horton Hot Shots JFC, Alpha United FC, Manningham JFC and St Bede’s FC, all of which will call the improved facilities home.

The university was granted planning permission to carry out the improvements last year, and work is expected to take place over the summer.

Chris Spargo, Head of Commercial Services at the university, said: “The Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund grant to the University enables us to significantly improve the sporting offer we can make to our students, staff, and local community sports clubs.

“We constantly strive to work effectively with local clubs and partners and this facility will no doubt help to improve grassroots sport in the area.”

Rob Hartley, sports officer and Athletic Union president. said the current pitches were in a “shocking condition” and had not been renovated since the they were built. He said: “The new pitches will be a lot more versatile than the current one.

“We’ll be working a lot closer with the local community which will be fantastic.”

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “Congratulations should go to University of Bradford for working with the West Riding County FA to secure this Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund grant.”