Colchester’s Northern Gateway Sports Park on track to open in April

Colchester’s brand-new Northern Gateway Sports Park is on track to open on 26 April – depending on Government lockdown restrictions - bringing 76-acres of sport and leisure facilities to the city.

The highly anticipated facility, which is located off junction 28 of the A12, is unique in Essex in featuring a one-mile floodlit cycle track. The facility will have a range of road bikes for adults and children, BMX, and adaptive bikes for hire which will enable cycling for all. The track will provide leisurely cyclists a safe space to ride their bikes whilst providing serious cyclists with a facility to challenge themselves and to improve.

The cycle track is just part of our commitment to making Colchester a more enjoyable place to cycle. We aim to make cycling and walking the everyday choice at the Northern Gateway, with an integrated transport network and further cycling announcements coming later this year.

The £28.8 million sport and leisure facility, which supports our commitment to ensuring healthier communities, also features a learn-to-ride facility and cycle pump track for children, alongside 3G pitches, grass rugby pitches, a multi-use sports centre, indoor cricket, badminton, netball and futsal.

You will also be able to enjoy a fitness suite, exercise and dance studios, an interactive velo studio and, after your workout, you will be able to refuel with a craft coffee and treats at Paddy & Scott’s. There are also several meeting rooms available for hire.

A stunning new state-of-the-art clubhouse has been built overlooking the 3G and grass pitches, which will become the new home of Colchester Rugby Football Club. An archery range and clubhouse has also been constructed to the south of the site, which will become home to the Colchester and District Archery Club.

Colchester’s Northern Gateway Sports Park is set within acres of green open space. To date, over 500 trees and almost 120,000 hedgerow plants, shrubs, perennials and grasses have been planted for the public’s future enjoyment. This supports our commitment to the environment and further extensive planting is planned.

The site is part of a wider sport and leisure development being project managed by Colchester Amphora Trading Ltd. It has been supported by funding from groups including British Cycling, Sport England and from England and Wales Cricket Club.

If you are interested in hiring the new sport facilities, you can complete an expression of interest form by visiting the Northern Gateway Sports Park website.