IT is the Christmas gift thousands of Oxford sportsmen and women have been waiting for – the new £2.1m community arena at Court Place Farm.

The new centre at Oxford City Football Club in Marston includes a full-size artificial grass pitch, pavilion and six floodlit netball courts. It will finally be ready for the first sports teams to play on in the first week of January.

It has taken more than two years of planning and eight months to build and Oxford City chairman Brian Cox said: “It’s all very exciting. This has been a long time coming, so it makes a very nice Christmas present.

“Quite frankly, this is now the finest facility in Oxford of its type. There’s nothing like it.

“It’s entirely there for the community so anyone who wants to do any sport can come along and it’s there for them.”

The arena’s new artificial floodlit football pitch is accompanied by six dressing rooms, a treatment room and lounge area, as well as parking for more than 80 cars.

It was funded with £900,000 from the Football Foundation and grants from England Netball, Sport England, Oxford Sports Council and Oxford City Council.

Other cash came from sponsorship and donations, with Oxfordshire Netball donating £80,000 and Oxfordshire Sport Council £40,000.

Mr Cox said: “This is a great credit to everyone at the club. The effort they’ve all put in has been fantastic.

“Until now, there has been nowhere like this for the community. The first netball players will start their league games next month and we hope it will be very well used from then for years to come.”

Oxford City FC is the oldest club in the county, with more than 30 teams and 150 volunteer staff and coaches. It will continue to use its existing ground but will benefit from the complex’s new facilities.

Club managing director Colin Taylor said: “It is fantastic that we are getting close to the facility being used by the public.

“I have watched the facility being built and it will be a great start to the New Year.”

A celebratory opening event has been planned for January 25.

Oxfordshire Netball secretary Kate Hopcroft said: “We’ll be in there on January 9 and the courts will be choc-a-bloc with women playing netball.

“The whole Oxfordshire League is going there and then our junior leagues will be, too.

“Netball in the county will develop so much because of this.”

City councillor Mark Lygo, board member for parks and sports, said: “I am delighted that the Community Sports Arena is nearly ready for the public to use.

“This will be a great community venue for all the community to use.”

  • For more information on how to use the arena, visit communityarena.co.uk or call 0845 264 1152.