MANOR Park School Association has been provisionally offered a grant of £6,000 to install a new multi-use games area (MUGA) at the primary school.

The new surface is estimated to cost around £34,000 in total, with Knutsford Town Council set to contribute £6,000 if the budget is approved for the next financial year as stands.

With the school and surrounding community ‘in desperate need of outdoor sporting facilities’, the funding would come with the agreement that the MUGA be accessible to public groups and organisations outside school hours.

As explained in the application from the MPSA, a parent-teacher organisation with an outward-facing approach to engaging the community, the area planned for the MUGA is waterlogged and unusable for much of the year.

Cathryn Walley, MPSA secretary, said: “There are upwards of 500 families who would really benefit from the installation of this facility.

“We aim to run football, netball, basketball, tag rugby and hockey teams from the venue as well as run fitness classes.

“We will work with other schools in the area to look at hosting both ‘friendly matches’ and potentially inter-school sports leagues.”

MPSA has sought three quotes for installation and selected the lower, with additional funds coming from donations and school initiatives. There is also support from organisations such as Great Places Housing Group and Knutsford Scouts.

Manor Park Primary School head teacher Simon Cotterill, who attended the meeting along with MPSA members, said: “It would be open to use for all residents of Knutsford.”

Members of the town council finance committee agreed unanimously to deliver the grant, subject to budget deliberations.

The school is also seeking a grant from the Aviva Community Fund, voted for by the public until November 21 at community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/17-1428.