Rugby Football League development hubs

Article posted by Coliseum, January 24^th, 2022

Image: Holmes Miller Architects

Working on behalf of the Rugby Football League (RFL), the Holmes Miller Architect has submitted a planning application to the Manchester City Council (UK) for its proposed new education and training facility.

The ‘Holmes Miller Architects’ stated that the land off Grey Mare Lane in the Beswick area of the City (Manchester) is the proposed site for a facility that will be shared between Rugby League athletes, community players, coaches and match officials, and young people and adults from the local area.

The Rugby Football League is the national governing body for professional rugby league in England (UK). The name Rugby Football League previously also referred to the main league competition run by the organization. This has since been supplanted by Super League, the Championship and League 1.

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Headquartered in Glasgow (UK), Holmes Miller is a practice rich in history filled with a passionate and enthusiastic team delivering excellence in architecture and interior design. The practice has built its reputation over the past seven decades by providing clients with the confidence and assurance they need to realize their building projects.

The ‘Holmes Miller Architects’ further stated that the plans include a two-story building and adjacent grass pitch, along with a small pitch-facing stand attached to the main building which would serve as an education and training base.

OurLeague Life is the name given to the RFL’s proposed series of learning and development ‘hubs’ across the North of England and in time, possibly nationwide.

Explained the RFL Project Lead Tony Sutton, “For 125 years, Rugby League has brought a huge range of social and economic benefits to communities in the North of England and beyond. It is a sport with a massive social impact – and now we want to make an impact in East Manchester. OurLeague Life is an exciting concept which we hope will become a local focal point for adult education, training and skills, and a catalyst for driving up social mobility through sport. As well as offering a new facility for people in East Manchester, this will be a key educational facility for all the England Rugby League squads such as our men’s, wheelchair and women’s teams.”

Remarked Ryan Holmes, Director at Holmes Miller, “The plans submitted detail a sports facility achieving something distinctly different than the status quo. By having elite athletes walking the halls and using the shared facilities alongside the aspiring local young people, the new center will provide a lot more than simply being a place to train.”

Added Holmes, “Community and supporting development is core to the design focus of this building. Building on Manchester City Council’s Green and Blue Infrastructure Strategy, we want visitors to interact with each other and the space in a way that promotes cohesion and a collective focus on the positive benefits of outdoor space and sports as championed by the Rugby Football League.”

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