WORK is set to start this summer on a new football pavilion for Oxford’s Barton estate after the city council set aside £350,000 to build it.

In 2008, community leaders complained to the council that the current pavilion was in a poor state of repair.

After gathering contributions from a number of developers, the council is ready to pay for the demolition of the current building and its replacement with a modern structure at the recreation ground off Barton Village Road.

Council leader Bob Price said he hoped the new pavilion would be completed in time for the new football season.

Members of the council’s executive are set to approve the funding for the project at a meeting at the Town Hall on Wednesday.

Mr Price said: “The money has been available for a while but it has taken a while to get agreement on how the new pavilion should be built.

“This is a great scheme and will secure the future of teams like Headington Amateurs, who need improved facilities, because they’re a successful club.

“We’re trying to ensure that we provide sport and leisure facilities for the community that are good quality and are attractive.”

“This ties in with what we’re trying to achieve by working with Oxford City at Court Place Farm and with Oxford United to provide community facilities.”

Don Light, chairman of Headington Amateurs said: “We share the ground with Barton United, who run lots of boys teams, and this will really benefit the whole community.

“The project has been in the pipeline for about five years so I’m very pleased that it is finally happening.

“Barton bowls club will also be able to use the pavilion.”

Sue Holden, of Barton Community Association, said: “This is fantastic news, because the current pavilion is no longer fit for purpose – it’s really dilapidated.

“The new pavilion will be a good community venue that will be opened up to many more groups than just the football teams.”

“Barton now has its own pool, and a gym is expected to be built next to the pool by the end of the year, so the new pavilion will be another major asset for the people of Barton and surrounding area.”

Community leaders complained early in 2008 that the pavilion needed replacing after training sessions had to be cancelled when the electricity box controlling the floodlights stopped working.

The city council secured £140,000 for the project from developers building homes on the site of the former Fox pub.

A report to the executive recommends that they endorse a plan for a £350,000 pavilion to the latest Sport England and Football Association standards.

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk