TWO key venues for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 have crossed a major hurdle today.
TWO key venues for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014 have crossed a major hurdle today.
Members of the city council's planning committee gave the go-ahead to the National Indoor Sports Arena and the Chris Hoy Velodrome.
The decision will mean work will be able to start on the £98million project opposite Celtic Football Stadium in the East End.
A central hub will link the athletics and cycling tracks which will cover almost 40,500sq m.
The Sports Arena will have seating for 5000 spectators, a 200m running track, a warm-up track, jumping and throwing areas and two sports halls.
A community sports centre next to the arena will have a sports hall, dance studios, gym, spa and creche as well as four outdoor five-a-side pitches and a 1000m outdoor cycle track.
The Velodrome will have seating for 2000 spectators with room for a further 500 people standing at cycling competitions.
An additional 1500 temporary seats will be introduced to cope with the huge numbers expected to attend the Commonwealth Games events.
They will be able to watch world-class cyclists race round a 250m long, wooden banked cycle track.
When the top athletes leave, the track will be available for use as a training venue for the national team cycling clubs and the local community.
The four-storey central hub which links the two buildings will have a reception for the community sports facilities, a cafe and elite athletes support facilities.
There will also be a large spectator foyer, officers for sports federations and Culture and Sport Glasgow.
The sporting complex is in the heart of Clyde Gateway - Scotland's top regeneration project - which will result in £1.6billion being spent to bring 865 acres of derelict and contaminated land back into use.
Development and regeneration executive director Steve Inch said: "The National Indoor Sports Arena and the Velodrome offer the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in the form of improved sports and cultural facilities."
