Budget 2015: Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy set to receive £14m

Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park (OLP) will be running better than ever in the near future as the facility is expected to be awarded £14m of funding when George Osborne delivers his new budget later today.

The majority of the money will be invested into the park’s Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC), which is being developed in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University.

With this new funding, the AWRC is reportedly expected to become the most advanced research and development centre for the medical, physical activity, leisure and sports sectors.

The updated park will allow 50 world leading researchers to work in new indoor and outdoor facilities, which include a 7.5m high indoor laboratory, 4th generation pitch with cameras and tracking instruments, 3D biomechanical and gait analysis and scanning, plus many more.

Professor Philip Jones, Sheffield Hallam University Vice-Chancellor, said: “We are delighted that the Government are backing our vision to develop the most advanced research and development centre for physical activity in the world.

“This will cement Sheffield Hallam’s global reputation for putting the science into sport and physical activity, but the AWRC will also be an exceptional asset for Sheffield and the wider region in helping to attract new jobs and investment. We are looking forward to working with our partners to see our vision come to fruition.”

The AWRC’s research team will also be hoping to work with the local communities within Sheffield as well as the city’s general population to explore and test the potential of new innovations and products developed at the OLP.

The Rt. Hon Richard Caborn, project lead for the OLP, said: “This is hugely welcome backing. This project will put Sheffield firmly at the heart of delivering the Olympic legacy, as well as delivering one of the world’s best wellbeing institutions right on our doorsteps.

“Countries around the world will now be looking to Sheffield as the leading light when it comes to the development of health and wellbeing technology.

“The investment that Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, has helped to deliver from the Coalition Government will improve the health and wellbeing of thousands of people across the city, as well as delivering game-changing innovations and technology developments that will benefit even more people in the future.”