Purpose

This report sought approval to proceed with proposals to develop a cycling pump track at Victoria Street Playing Fields, Hyde, and to allocate £0.160m from Section 106 funding and £0.190m from Public Health reserves in 2027/28 to enable this development.

The total allocation of funding of £0.350m would form a match funding position to support a future funding application to Sport England, with the intention of securing an additional £0.250m to £0.350m to support this project (providing an overall budget of c. £0.600m-£0.700m).

This report also sought approval to accept grant funding from Sports England of £0.010m in 2026/27 as a contribution towards the cost of procuring a technical feasibility study and delivery plan as part of the project using the Sport England Active Environments Framework.

Approval to proceed and the allocation of this funding would enable the Council to progress to the next phase. This included the submission of an Expression of Interest to Sport England for the match funding, and the development of a detailed feasibility and delivery plan.

The proposal responded to identified deficits in provision for children and young people, supports delivery of the Let’s Ride Tameside Strategy and Tameside Moving Strategy, and complements future growth plans associated with Godley Green Garden Village. It builds upon several years of successful community cycling development work with Manchester Bike Kitchen and Sport England Place Partnership funding.

Decision

RESOLVED

(i)                That approval be given in principle to the creation of a cycling pump track in Hyde, including commencing work to further progress proposals to develop this at Victoria Street Playing Fields, Hyde. Final proposal will be brought back to Executive Cabinet ahead of works commencing.

(ii)              That Approval be given to the allocation of a total of £0.350m match funding (£0.160m from Section 106 funding/ £0.190m from Public Health reserves), which will support an expression of interest to Sport England to secure match funding creating an overall budget of c. £0.600m - £0.700m.

(iii)           That Approval be given to accept grant funding from Sports England in 2026/27 of £0.010m as a contribution towards the cost of procuring a technical feasibility study and development of a delivery plan, see Appendix 5 and 6 for details of the award of the funding. 

Alternative options considered

To not allocate this funding, removing the eligibility to submit an expression of interest, and do not build a pump track. This was not the recommended option as a range of evidence and insight indicates that there is demand and need for a facility of this type and scale across Tameside, and specifically in the Hyde area. The capital investment and offer of support from Sport England will not be available without the earmarked match funding being allocated to support the development of this scheme. There were many wider benefits to the community that have been identified from developing this pump track, including supporting increased physical activity, community cohesion, support for VCFSE activity, and expanding the youth offer in the area.