Councillors are to consider a progress report on the development of a sports performance centre in Dundee.

Dundee City Council has identified £12m in its 2016-21 Capital Plan for the Regional Performance Centre for Sport in Caird Park.

This funding will be combined with a grant of £5m from sportscotland.

The £17m facility will include:

• Indoor full size artificial pitch for football and rugby training;

• Eight court size multi-sports hall with spectator seating and storage for basketball; volleyball, netball, badminton and cricket

• Outdoor artificial pitch suitable for rugby and football

• High standard grass Football pitch

• Medium standard grass Football pitch (suitable for Community use)

• Indoor running straight

• Associated parking and infrastructure

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• Strength and conditioning Facilities

• Meeting rooms suitable for conferences, etc. with catering facilities

• Assorted support facilities including Sportscience

Councillor Ken Guild said: "The eastern end of Caird Park is an ideal location for this impressive centre as it will integrate with the existing athletics stadium and velodrome and offer good transport access.

"This progress report shows how hard we have been working with our partners to provide a top-class facility that can be open for both performance and community use.

"The centre is another exciting development for the city and is another addition to our superb range of sporting facilities."

Work has been progressing on the design of the Regional Performance Centre with sportscotand and national governing bodies, local sports leagues, Dundee Disability Sport, Scottish Football Association, Tayside and Fife Regional Institute of Sport and Sports Partnerships.

Both professional football clubs in the city have been involved with the project. While Dundee United FC wishes to continue with current training facilities in St Andrews, Dundee FC aims to pursue an option to use land next to the centre.

This would be developed separately and fully funded from prudential borrowing based on a long-term rental by Dundee FC.

The progress report will be considered by councillors on 24 August.

The report contains an outline construction programme which would see the project completed in December 2017.

(LM)