A £2.5m project to revamp 12 pavilions in Oxford and build a £500,000 new one has been launched.

Oxford City Council wants to improve the facilities at parks and recreation grounds including Bury Knowle park in Headington, Cowley Marsh park and at Blackbird Leys by summer 2016.

A consultation has been carried out on proposals for a new pavilion at Grandpont Recreation Ground. It ishome to Hinksey Park FC, which has more than 200 members and 10 teams. At the moment there is nowhere to change and no toilets at the ground.

Club chairman Jim Smith, 43, from South Oxford, said: “We have been lobbying the city council for a number of years stating that we need a facility.

“We have got up to near 200 players now ranging from under-sixes to under-17s.

“On a typical Saturday we may have three matches with 100 people watching without a facility so for us it is crucial.

“It is fantastic the city council recognise one is needed.”

He added that it would be something that community groups could also use.

The club’s teams play in the Oxford Mail Boys League and the Oxfordshire Invitation Youth League.

David Ingledew, 46, from Cowley, co-manages the under-11s team and said: “A pavilion would be great because at the moment we have no facilities there at all.”

Louisa Dean, city council spokeswoman, said: “We have approximately £500,000 set aside for this project which is a new-build two-changing room facility, with officials’ rooms, toilets, meeting and social room, kitchen and storage area. We will be looking to put in a planning application by June.”

She added: “We are undertaking a programme of improvements to modernise our pavilions and bring them up to current standards and expectations.”

The plans for Grandpont have been available at St Ebbe’s School in Whitehouse Road, at St Matthew’s Church in Marlborough Road and on the community noticeboard outside Grandpont Nursery School in Whitehouse Road.

The results of the consultation will then be used to help inform the designs of the facility.

Comment online by visiting oxford.gov.uk/grandpont sportspavilion or by email on sportspavilions@oxford.gov.uk