Shetland sports facility could be built with Anderson High School

A new indoor synthetic sports pitch could be built to the south of Lerwick’s Clickimin leisure complex in association with the new Anderson High School project.

Shetland Recreational Trust (SRT) hopes to build a facility – expected to cost between £1.4million and £1.7million – suitable for football and rugby among other sports. It would allow the SRT to provide extra space for school PE lessons on weekdays and for local sportsmen and sportswomen out of school hours.

Local residents and representatives from sporting organisations were shown plans for the structure at a meeting on Monday night.

The SRT said the facility would be part funded by Shetland Islands Council, while a funding application has also been submitted to sportscotland.

Councillor George Smith, chairman of the Shetland sporting partnership strategic group, said it would be a “tremendous addition to the sporting facilities of Shetland and will provide much needed pitch space under cover, to help our sportspeople develop their skills and enjoyment of their sport”.

SRT hopes to be able to submit a planning application for the building by the end of November.