Plans have been revealed for a £40 million accommodation project at Loughborough University.

Subject to planning approval, work on the sport-specific facility could begin in August 2017 with completion scheduled for September 2019

The building will be developed on campus adjacent to the existing High Performance Athletics Centre. Around 600 rooms will be built, including up to 70 student athlete rooms and 40 elite athlete rooms.

Other features will include modern nutritional facilities, en-suite rooms, flats with shared kitchen facilities and specialist accommodation for those with disabilities.

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Richard Taylor, Chief Operating Officer at the University, said: "Our community partners continue to highlight a wish for the University to invest in student accommodation on campus so as to minimise the impact on housing in the town and the new proposed plans are our response to this.

"Our current residences are operating at full capacity as a result of existing student numbers. We cannot accommodate all those who would wish to be in hall.

"The dedicated sports accommodation element to this scheme will cement Loughborough’s status as arguably the best training environment for elite athletes in the country.

"This is an exciting project. It will deliver benefits on a number of fronts and will be of huge value to the University and our communities."

As part of the project, local residents are invited to attend a community briefing next week prior to the submission of a planning application, in order to gain community feedback over the proposals. The exhibition will take place at the Link Hotel from 5.30pm – 8.30pm on Thursday, 29 September.

(LM/MH)