LEIGH MP Andy Burnham has called on local people to support the state-of-the-art Sports Village after a model of the development went on show for the first time this week.

Mr Burnham said the reported £75 million flagship scheme, based on land at Leigh between Marshall Street and Atherleigh Way, would be a massive boost for both sport and education in the town.

But the MP has urged people to get behind the scheme -- and ensure the Sports Village does become a reality.

Mr Burnham said: "A lot of people who have seen the scale model have said that the Sports Village is too good to be true. Nobody can say that the scheme will be approved but it will stand a better chance if everyone gets behind it.

"It will give the people of Leigh facilities to be proud of -- not only fantastic sports facilities but great education facilities too. Hopefully the new college will encourage more teenagers to stay on in full time education once they leave school."

Future of the town

Leigh Centurions Head Coach Paul Terzis said that the new Sports Village would be great for the future of the town.

Terzis said: "We deserve to have the best facilities in Leigh and the new Sports Village is something that will not only be beneficial for our sports teams, but would create jobs in the area.

"Leigh is a hotbed for Rugby League and our fans deserve to have a stadium that is fit for the Super League. Hilton Park has been a great home for Leigh Centurions but it's time to look forward. We want to get into Super League and be playing in the best stadium in Super League."

And Tommy Sale, the Centurions President said: "I laid the first sod and last sod at Hilton Park and I'm hoping to be able to lay the first sod at the new stadium."

Leigh RMI manager Mark Patterson hailed the new Sports Village as a different class and said: "The new stadium is something that this football club needs. I'm hoping that it will encourage more supporters to come and watch us. We need more fans to come down and help the club grow. Of course we want to be playing in the Nationwide Conference in the new stadium and not in the UniBond League, so hopefully we can beat the drop."

A formal planning application will go to Wigan Council later this month with a decision expected the following month. And work could start in 2004 and be completed 18 months later if the scheme is approved by council planning chiefs.

The new complex would boast a 10,000 all-seater stadium to be used by Leigh Centurions RL and Leigh RMI; a 400m synthetic athletic track for Leigh Harriers and a brand new Sixth Form College.

New college

The stadium would house office space and corporate facilities with the new college attracting all sports courses to the Leigh campus in Wigan, and there would also be leisure and retail facilities.

Planning applications to redevelop sites at Leigh East RL, Leigh Harriers and Howe Bridge will be submitted at the same time as the Sports Village.

The scale model of the proposed Sports Village is on display to the public at Leigh Library.