College Acquiring New Sports Ground in West London

College is in the final stages of buying a new 27-acre plot of land two miles from Harlington for the use of Imperial’s sports teams. The site has outside space for 5 football pitches and 2 rugby pitches, an assortment of tennis, netball and cricket facilities and a shooting range. Meanwhile inside the clubhouse students will be provided with squash and basketball courts. The sports ground, in Heston, Hounslow, will be available for student use from Autumn 2014.

The land previously belonged to British Airways and hosted “The Concorde Club”, a clubhouse with “comfortable lounges and a restaurant for members and guests to relax”.

Inside the clubhouse there is a large theatre/activity space and three bars, potentially providing spaces that can be used by non-sporting clubs and events at Imperial.

While not providing as much outdoor pitch space as the Harlington sports ground (5 football and 2 rugby pitches vs. 10 football and 3 rugby pitches), the Heston site provides a wider range of facilities and due to its close proximity, can be used interchangeably by sports teams.

Neil Mosley (Head of Sport Imperial) said, “The Heston site represents an exciting opportunity for sport at Imperial. It will provide us with facilities that we don’t currently have to support more diverse student activities, as well as larger and better quality pitches and courts less than 10 minutes’ drive away from our Harlington sports ground.”

Meanwhile, the purchase of the new Heston site near Harlington raises questions about the College’s sports ground portfolio. Now College “owns” two sports grounds in close proximity, will this lead to the eventual sale of the Teddington sports ground, the other sports ground College owns? Or will College maintain the three sports grounds in their entirety? Teddington has fairly similar facilities to the new Heston sports ground, and boasting two rugby and two soccer pitches as well as other facilities, it may even be slightly smaller.

For more information, visit Sport Imperial’s open information session (for students and sports teams) at Ethos on Friday 27 June at 1430.

UPDATE:

In a previous version of the article Felix wondered whether any students had been consulted about the purchase of the new Heston site, and if student input would be accepted as the ideas for land use were developed.

Union President David Goldsmith has since informed informed Felix that: "... College kept me informed when possibilities of obtaining the site were realised. This was on the basis that the information was confidential and that, upon announcement of the sale, a thorough consultation with students would be undertaken. The Consultation Framework does recommend that sensitive information is shared with the Union President in confidence to discuss how best to go forward.

_ We are very excited about the purchase of the new sports ground and the important part student consultation will play in determining how the site develops."_