Building work has begun on the £4.8 million arena that will be home to the Leicester Riders basketball team.

Workmen have now completed the “most challenging” task of removing pollutants from the former industrial site in Charter Street, next to Abbey Park, where the sports venue will be constructed.

A groundbreaking ceremony has been held at the former gas works to mark the start of the second phase of the project.

Project director Kevin Routledge said: “We have managed to get the most challenging part of the project behind us, and we are all delighted with that.

An important part of the city’s industrial legacy has been addressed on this site, and though everything did not go exactly as we had hoped, we look forward to the build phase.”
“We are confident that everyone in the team is motivated to get this building project moving forward rapidly, so that another important asset for the city of Leicester is delivered.”

Leicester College principal Verity Hancock attended the ceremony.

The college is part of the partnership behind the scheme and will use the community arena as a teaching and learning facility.

Ms Hancock said: “We are absolutely delighted that the arena building phase of the project can now commence, and look forward to a successful project.

“It has taken a large number of very dedicated people working hard to get to this phase, and now we will be able to finally see the building project become a reality, after the years of planning.”

The venue will also be home to the Leicester Cobras disabled basketball team.

Sport England has made a £1.25 million grant towards the 2,300-seat Leicester

Community Sports Arena project.

Leicester City Council will offer a 125-year lease on the site to Leicester Community Sports Arena Limited (LCSAL), owned by the Riders’ charity Leicester Riders Foundation, with the company paying a commercial rent of £40,000 a year for the site.

The council will also put £1.5 million into the scheme, as well as waiving the £1.2 million value of the site.

The completed arena will create 16 full-time and 36 part-time posts.

The Riders are putting £500,000 into the project, with the same sum from the college.

The Government has also contributed £840,000 from its Regional Growth Fund.

The arena is due to open by the end of December .