From Grange Road — with the rugby/football ground, Real Tennis Club and some College grounds — the cycle route west goes past Wilberforce Sports Ground — now with 3 hockey pitches, athletics track and pavilion — towards the fast-growing West Cambridge site.

The Sports Quarter 

West Cambridge is the realisation of the University’s plan to bring together its world-class science and technology expertise. It will be home to the new Cavendish Physics Laboratory and other state-of-the-art facilities for both academic research and collaboration with the University’s commercial partners.

The Sports Quarter will provide an important focal point for the University community and Cambridge residents. To support sport at a competitive high level and physical activity at all levels, we envisage further phases of development to include indoor tennis and padel courts, an indoor swimming pool, and additional space for court-based and combat sports.

We also want to address the desperate shortage of floodlit training and playing facilities that restricts the activities many for many of our sports clubs. We are working with the rugby and football clubs and exploring the feasibility of developing the ground at Grange Road to include an IRB/rugby compliant 3G pitch, additional changing rooms and pavilion space. This would enable a much greater level and diversity of sporting activity in a great location.

Provision of facilities that not only meet the needs of our students but increase our engagement with the wider Cambridge community is an important measure of success, ensuring year-round use of the University’s facilities and their sustainability, as well as supporting the University’s broader mission to contribute to society.