The University has ambitious plans to transform the historic Iffley Road site into a world-class multi-sports complex. This will complement The Rosenblatt Pool (constructed in 2003) and The Sir Roger Bannister Running Track (resurfaced in 2007), and enable Oxford to continue nurturing future generations of scholar-athletes for many years to come.
The cornerstone and first phase of the redevelopment will be a brand new state-of-the-art Indoor Sports Centre (The Acer Nethercott Sports Centre). Attached to The Rosenblatt Pool, the Phase 1 building will comprise a second four-court sports hall (name to be confirmed), a multi-purpose activity room (The Gallie-Lewis-Dean Gym), additional dry changing facilities for men and women and a refurbished café and reception area. It will be built to the highest possible specification to ensure it stands the test of time.
Upon completion of Phase 1, and subject to funding, subsequent phases will include: an all-weather Outdoor Tennis Centre, a new Grandstand incorporating a Cricket School, a combined Rugby and Rowing Training Centre, and Phase 2 of the Indoor Sports Centre.
The total cost of Phase 1 is £9.3 million. Thanks to the generosity of several hundred alumni and friends of the University, construction is well under way, and the new sports centre is due to open in March 2018. However, a gap of £1 million still remains, and the final funds need to be secured before December 2017 to ensure that the new building can be fitted out to the optimum specification.