WORK has started on a £340,000 project to revamp sports facilities at playing fields used by three amateur teams.

Birkenshaw Bluedogs, Hunsworth AFC and East Bierley AFC have joined forces to create East Bierley Community Sports Association (EBCSA) in an effort to improve East Bierley playing fields, particularly the run-down changing facilities.

The group has managed to secure grants of £165,000, as well as a 20-year £175,000 loan and long-term lease from Kirklees Council to allow the plans to go ahead.

Now a contractor has been appointed and the work has begun to demolish the old changing facilities at the Hunsworth Lane site.

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EBCSA secretary, and Birkenshaw Bluedogs Club Secretary, Simon Armitage said: “Securing funding and agreeing investment with Kirklees Council has been a real labour of love for everybody involved over the past three years.

“The sports facilities at East Bierley are used by hundreds of people every year, but the changing rooms are in a state where they’re simply not fit for use anymore.

“All three clubs were getting to the stage where we were going to have no other option but to either move site or dissolve the clubs due to lack of facilities.

“I speak on behalf of everybody involved at EBCSA when I say that we’re absolutely ecstatic that the funding, investment, and loan has all been secured and building work can begin on new modern facilities that will future-proof all types of sport in the local area for at least the next 125 years.”

The group has secured a £125,000 grant from Sport England and the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, which will go towards the cost of building the new facilities.

In addition, a grant of £40,300 has been received from Kirklees Council through the New Homes Bonus.

The balance comes from the six-figure long-term Council loan and so the association is keen to encourage as many local people as possible to get involved in an effort to ensure the loan repayments can be met.

Mr Armitage added: “The coming together of these three teams goes to show how strong our community is in and around Birkenshaw, East Bierley and Hunsworth.

"We’ve shown that we’re stronger together and hopefully that mentality will inspire both the juniors at our respective clubs, and other sports teams across the region.”

The site provides sports facilities to more than 250 people and hosts more than 4,000 hours of free coaching a year.

Contact the association by emailing enquiries@ebcsa.co.uk.

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