Miller completes changing rooms project

Miller Homes has officially handed over a new changing room facility, specially constructed for local sports teams in Eton Park Ward, to the East Staffordshire Borough Council.

The existing steel changing room facility at Eton Park Recreation Ground had fallen into a state of disrepair and had been rendered unusable for a number of years. So when Miller Homes moved in next door with its Hopwood development, the UK's largest privately owned housebuilder struck an agreement with the local council to construct a new brick changing room block closer to the pitch side of the playing fields.

Commercial director of Miller Homes West Midlands, Mark Waplington, explained: "The old changing rooms were positioned very close to our newly built apartments on the Hopwood scheme which meant that teams may have caused disruption to new residents. As a result, we discussed the option of working jointly with the Council to move the changing rooms to a better location for all parties and in affect, updating and improving the facilities to bring them up to modern standards at the same time.

"We agreed to split the relocation costs 50:50 with the local council and after 18 months of discussion, planning and building the new changing rooms have been officially handed over to the council."

Local football teams and other outdoor sports clubs can now use the pitch and changing room facilities by booking through East Staffordshire Borough Council.

Councillor Ron Clarke, who officially opened the changing rooms, said: "I am delighted to see the completion of this excellent community project. Good sporting facilities are vital to encouraging local people to live a healthy lifestyle. With these new changing rooms, we have helped secure the long term future of this land as a recreational facility that the whole community can benefit from."

Miller Homes' Hopwood development is located next to the Eton Park pitches off Princess Way in Stretton. The scheme offers a selection of new houses and apartments for sale, with prices starting from as little as £84,950 for a two bedroom ground floor apartment, rising to £229,950 for a four bedroom end terrace townhouse with a garage.

For more information about Hopwood, log on to Millerhomes.co.uk.

To book the Eton Park pitch facilities, visit eaststaffsbc.gov.uk.