A MAJOR £1.27million development at Skipton's Sandylands sports centre has been described by the town's MP as 'truly impressive' and likely to attract many hundreds more visitors to the Craven-wide facility.

The largest community sports project ever undertaken at Skipton's 'sports village' will feature a dedicated gymnasium, for the sole use of Craven Gymnastics Club; two meeting rooms, which will also be used for table tennis, and a 50-seat cafe, for users of the sports centre, their families and friends.

Work on the large 114ft (35m) by 82ft (25m) and 26ft (8m) high extension started in October last year, is now taking shape, with the steel frame being built, and is expected to be finished by May or June this year.

It follows the opening towards the end of last year of two covered, floodlit Padel courts at the adjoining Skipton Tennis Centre.

Roger Beck, chair and lead trustee for fund raising on the voluntary Sandylands Sports Centre Management Committee, said the much needed extension overshadowed the the £850,000 full-size floodlit 3G all-weather pitch and associated changing rooms building which opened in 2004 and is believed to be one of the most well-used facilities of its kind in the country.

"The much-needed extension project is likely to increase community sports participation at the sports centre to around 250,000 person visits per year," said Mr Beck.

The existing biomass system, which uses timber pellets and was installed in 2016, will be extended into the new building to provide all heating and hot water, which together with the additional 132 new solar panels will help the sports centre reduce its carbon footprint.

Mr Beck said: "The extension has been designed to provide full disability and inclusion access and includes a large fully-compliant Changing Places Toilet, manufactured and installed by Astor Bannerman. The nearest leisure centre with a fully-compliant Changing Places Toilet is at Victoria Park, Keighley.

"The ambitious community-led scheme will complement the two covered floodlit Padel Courts at the adjoining Skipton Tennis Centre, which opened on November 30 last year. The three additional outdoor floodlit tennis courts will hopefully be undertaken later this year."

Skipton MP Sir Julian Smith, following a visit to the sports centre, said: "The improvements at Sandylands Sports Centre are truly impressive. The extension will not only improve the quality of sports facilities available, but also significantly contribute to the well-being of the wider community."

Sandylands itself has raised over £300,00 for the extension, while £226,000 has come from various bodies including section 106 planning gain funding, £89,950 from North Yorkshire Council’s allocation of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund and a £500,000 low interest loan from Skipton Building Society. The main contractor for the work is A M Bowdin.

Further grants are still being explored, says the management committee, to cover the 20 per cent added to all works by HMRC. Anyone who would like to offer funding, can contact Roger Beck by email: roger.beck1@yahoo.co.uk.

The sports centre was established by the Coulthurst Trust in 1972, became a registered charity in 1984 and was converted to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in 2024.

Given the nature of the self-help organisation, which is run by a voluntary Management Committee representing all sports at Sandylands and the public, together with the comprehensive range of community facilities provided, it is considered that Sandylands Sports Centre is unique in North Yorkshire.