JUST a few months ago it was a bleak building site full of rubble and mud.

But now more than a 1,000 sports enthusiasts have taken to the pitch and courts at Oxford’s new £2.1m community arena at Court Place Farm.

The sparkling new facility at Oxford City Football Club in Marston opened to sports groups last week.

It took more than two years of planning and eight months to build, but since throwing open its doors, more than 600 netballers and hundreds of footballers have made full use of their new home.

Rugby players and rush hockey players have also already used the new centre.

Oxfordshire Netball facilities co-ordinator Sue Blackshaw said: “It was just phenomenal to finally get on the courts and get the Oxfordshire league going there.

“We had 56 teams, so that’s around 600 women, playing competitively there over the week.

“The courts are slightly elevated so from the ring road, you could see all the women playing sport together. It was fantastic.”

The centre boasts a new artificial floodlit pitch, plus six netball courts and dressing rooms, a treatment room and lounge area, as well as parking for more than 80 cars.

Mrs Blackshaw said: “It’s amazing to think that this time last year, the bulldozers hadn’t even been in yet.

“This will make a massive difference to netball in Oxfordshire. It will show that it is a sport to be taken seriously.

“The sports facilities are now here for the next generation.”

She added: “We hope sport in Oxfordshire can grow and grow from this.”

Oxfordshire Netball, which runs the league, has never had a permanent home before now, meeting at various places across the county.

The centre was funded with £900,000 from the Football Foundation and also grants from England Netball, Sport England, Oxford Sports Council and Oxford City Council.

Other cash came from sponsorship and donations, with Oxfordshire Netball donating £80,000 and Oxfordshire Sport Council £40,000.

Oxford City Football Club is now using the facilities for its 30 teams and 150 volunteer staff and coaches.

The teams use the new centre for training but Oxford City FC still uses its nearby stadium for matches.

The playing surface of the new arena is of equal standard to that used at the training facilities of clubs like Manchester United and Arsenal.

Volunteer managing director Colin Taylor said: “It has been really good.

“We are delighted with the way things have gone.

“It’s already making a huge difference for sport in Oxfordshire, a lot has happened in the last year.

“It has mostly been Oxford City players using the pitch so far, but we are filling up with advance bookings.”

To find out more about using the Court Place Farm facilities, call 01865 750906 or visit communityarena.co.uk To coincide with the opening of the Community Arena, England Netball are offering women the opportunity to give netball a go for free.

Back to Netball on Wednesday is designed to provide a gentle introduction to the sport.

It will run from 12.45pm until 1.45pm and is open to anyone aged 16 and above.

To book a place, please contact Rachel Bussey on rachel.bussey@englandnetball.co.uk