By Kelly Eve Education Reporter

Last updated at 13:54, Friday, 27 November 2009

Hopes are high that a £15 million revamp of the Sands Centre in Carlisle will attract world-class athletes looking for a training camp ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

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The close proximity and good transport links between Carlisle and Glasgow make the proposed transformation of the Sands Centre an ideal location for travelling teams, according to Dr Dave Houlston from the University of Cumbria.

He added that the project would also allow the university’s sporting experts to expand their services to teams and clubs across west Cumbria.

Directors at the university this week agreed to push forward with a £4.7m investment towards the Sands Centre development.

In conjunction with Carlisle City Council and Carlisle Leisure, the revamped Sands Centre would include a 25-metre eight-lane swimming pool.

The university’s school of sport would be relocated from Lancaster to Carlisle where a series of state-of-the-art labs would be created at the Sands.

Biomechanics and physio labs would allow students to study cardiovascular activity, strengthening and conditioning of the body. A chamber where different environmental conditions can be created would also be on the cards.

Linking up with nearby Sheepmount, students would be able to use athletic facilities and outdoor pitches for field-based work.

Dr Houlston, head of the university’s school of sport, said: “With the 2012 and 2014 Games coming up we could get teams and squads to come and use the site. You’d have modern facilities for them to train and the university’s high-level sport science labs alongside.

“At the moment we have equipment like scientific treadmills in Lancaster but not in Carlisle or Penrith.”

“This also benefits the community. Facilities could be used by rugby league teams across the area, Carlisle United could come and use it as part of their training, for instance.

“The council want to get it built for 2012. We would want to be able to support the 2012 training camp designations that the Sands and the Sheepmount have been given but I think the biggest chance for this new development would be the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“We’re a prime site and if we got the facilities up and running and teething problems out of the way it would be great to have teams here.”

Around 230 students are based in Lancaster, a PE degree is run from Fusehill Street in Carlisle as are sports and exercise therapy courses. Sports coaching courses and foundation degrees make use of the astroturf and facilities at Newton Rigg, near Penrith.

The Sands Centre scheme is one of just a handful of projects to backed by bosses at the cash-strapped university this week.

The University of Cumbria has a trading deficit of £8.4m and has been hit badly by the recession, a loss of public funding and a cap on student numbers.

Directors are reviewing their priorities because the university is not able to grow at the rate first intended when it opened just two years ago.

Changes to the university’s business plan are due to be rubber-stamped next February.

The biggest casualty is the £70m headquarters and flagship campus at the Caldew Riverside but those involved in the project say they remain committed to creating a university site on the land.

The NWDA has also pledged to support the university’s evolution with up to £26.7m over the next 10 years.

First published at 11:21, Friday, 27 November 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk