A multi-million-pound centre of sporting excellence could be created in Perth.
The city’s college has announced details of an ambitious campaign to harness the legacy of last summer’s Commonwealth Games and create a launchpad for a new generation of professional athletes.
Plans have been drawn up to build the £6.5 million Academy of Sport and Wellbeing in the grounds of the main college campus on Crieff Road.
The complex will include a hockey pitch, basketball and badminton courts to help students train to a national level.
Principal Margaret Munckton said she wanted to bring sport to the “heart” of the college, which is part of the University of Highlands and Islands.
“The Commonwealth Games has had a large influence on our plans,” she said. “It’s expected that the games legacy will create an absolute explosion of interest in sport across Scotland.
“And it’s our responsibility as a college and university to meet that demand.”
If plans are approved, construction could begin in July and could be ready by September 2016. The project will be largely funded by the college, but a fundraising campaign will be launched soon.
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