Work has started on a new all-weather sports pitch in Gloucester with a team of businesses from the city leading the development.

It is King's School, in the shadow of the city's Cathedral, which has announced the exciting new chapter in its rich sporting history - a new Multi-Use-Games-Area (MUGA) at its Archdeacon Meadow sports ground - and underlined it will also be for public use.

The million-pound investment will see a first class astro turf pitch together with warm up area and floodlighting and follows several years of planning and liaison with the city authorities.

It will be in addition to facilities already at Archdeacon Meadow - a sports hall, five tennis courts, cricket and rugby pitches, as well as the facilities of the Riverside Sports Centre.

It is hoped that the new pitch will be ready by the start of 2019.

David Morton, headmaster at King's School, said the pitch was designed to meet the school's key aims of increasing public access and enabling other local schools and sports clubs to benefit its resources.

"We already undertake huge amounts of work with our local community each year, including welcoming local primary children into the school for sports and science activities, raising money for local charitable causes such as the Gloucester Foodbank and Cathedral Breakfast Club," said Mr Morton.

"At a time when the health and wellbeing of young people is under such pressure, we are delighted to be able to announce that our new and existing facilities can be shared with local schools and sports clubs.

"Discussions are already under way with Gloucester Hockey Club to explore their interest and we have drawn up a Community Use Agreement to ensure that the new astro turf is available to external groups for up to 50 per cent of each year."

Companies helping to make the dream possible include Gloucestershire-based Keyway Excavation, Allstones Aggregates and architects Roberts Limbrick as well as Bristol-based Verde Recreo.

Andy Phillips, director of sport, said: "This is a very exciting time for Sport at King's. We have a strong reputation for sport in many areas and our boys and girls compete to a high level, both in and out of school.

"This new astro turf pitch will allow us to reach the next level of performance in hockey and many other sports besides'.

Sport has thrived at King's in recent years. Several boys play at Gloucester RFC Academy, many of the girls and boys play for Gloucester County Cricket, girls have played in local netball satellite academies, boys play for Cheltenham FC and Forest Green Rovers Academies and two senior boys have played hockey for England.

The senior pupils have just returned from netball and hockey tours to Malaysia and Singapore. At an individual level, the school also boasts strong sports men and women in disciplines as diverse as archery, equestrian events, quad-biking, gymnastics, athletics and swimming.

Any enquiries about the sports facilities at The King's School  should be addressed to the headmaster, David Morton , at the school or telephone 01452 337337.

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