Construction underway for Hillingdon clubhouse

Building has started on the much-anticipated clubhouse at Hillingdon cycle circuit.

It will be beneficial for a school-use programme, providing

changing rooms and a classroom for visitng youngsters.

The £715,000 project has been largely funded by British Cycling and the London Borough of Hillingdon, who both contributed £350,000.

Meanwhile, the Hillingdon Slipstreamers club and the Users Group, which runs the circuit on behalf of  the local council, also chipped in with £10,000 each.

Stuart Benstead, chairman of the Users Group, said: "We are most grateful to the council for its investment, encouragement and guidance in obtaining this clubhouse."

The circuit is already used for almost 300 organised events in cycling, as well as several other sports.

"The intense programme has strained the goodwill of these volunteers having to brave the weather without an indoor administration facility and having to make-do with just a couple of storage containers and a canvas cover," Benstead continued.

Senior riders will still be expected to use the larger shower and changing facilities in the nearby Goals Soccer Centre.

The clubhouse is due to be handed over to the volunteer Users group on May 1, completed in time for the National Youth Series meeting a week later.