A NEW plan to increase the range of sports facilities at the Maltings Meadow has been hatched by the ambitious Bungay and District Sports Association.It is applying for a grant of nearly �50,000, which would provide an exercise trail and a track for cycling, jogging and roller-skating.

A NEW plan to increase the range of sports facilities at the Maltings Meadow has been hatched by the ambitious Bungay and District Sports Association.

It is applying for a grant of nearly �50,000, which would provide an exercise trail and a track for cycling, jogging and roller-skating.

Association chairman Jon Fuller said this week the application had passed the first stage of the process, and now a facilitator had been appointed to help it to get through the next stage.

The outdoor exercise trail would go around the edge of the Maltings Meadow sports complex at Ditchingham and would feature a number of challenges and disciplines. Outdoor trails such as that are the currently popular way for encouraging people to exercise regularly and prepare themselves for other sports.

The hard surface track would be two metres wide and would go around the perimeter of the main football pitch at the meadow, which is floodlit. Mr Fuller said it would cater for

cycling, jogging, roller-skating and other similar activities.

“The project is still at an early stage - we haven't got planning permission yet and we still have to apply for that. But if we are successful in the grant application we are looking at having the trail and the track in use by the end of the summer, with the work being carried out during the summer period,” he said. “The aim is for it to encourage people of all ages into different sports exercise.”

Landscaping of the meadow would be part of the project, which is the latest phase of the considerable development of the site over the past few year, through the drive of Mr Fuller and the sports association.

The meadow is home to the town's football, cricket and tennis clubs, and the Bungay Black Dog Marathon. More than �1m has been spent on providing a new clubhouse, changing facilities, bar and surfaced car park, a floodlit artificial surface multi-use games area which includes two tennis courts, and floodlighting of the main football pitch to a high standard.

The meadow has also been expanding, with the acquisition of adjoining land to enable a new cricket square to be provided.