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Leeds Live
Leeds Live
National
Nathan Hyde

This is what the new 'world class' sports hub next to Elland Road could look like

This is what a new multi-million pound sports hub with floodlit 3G football pitches and an air dome could look like if it is built next to Elland Road.

Leeds City Council has applied for planning permission to redevelop Fullerton Park, which is in the shadow on the John Charles stand, so it can install four 3G pitches which can be used by people living in south Leeds.

Under the current plans, three pitches will be floodlit and enclosed in a metal fence, and the fourth will be covered by an air dome.

The council also wants to build pavilion next to the pitches, which contains a community cafe, meeting rooms, a fitness gym, a GP surgery and pharmacy, and provide on-site parking.

It is expected to cost roughly £8 million in total, with 60 per cent of this figure coming from the Football Foundation's Parklife project. The council will contribute the remaining £3.2 million.

Leeds United have been in talks with the council and have offered to cover the costs of a roof for one of the football pitches.

Speaking last month, the club's managing director Angus Kinnear said the project "should bring world-class sports facilities to the communities of Beeston and Holbeck".

The club also has plans to expand Elland Road's capacity to 50,000 and move training facilities to the site of Matthew Murray school.

There are currently only 11 floodlit all-weather sports pitches in Leeds and the council has admitted that up to 13 more are needed to bring sporting facilities up to the required standard of such a large city.

A planning application for the Fullerton Park redevelopment have been submitted and people have until February 21 to comment on them.

The site was used as a greyhound and speedway track before Leeds United took over and set up a training ground there.

The club left for its current training ground in Thorp Arch in 1994 and the land is currently owned by the council.

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