WORK to install basketball courts in a Malvern park has finally gotten underway.

After a number of years of planning, the groundworks for two new basketball courts in Victoria Park have finally been laid.

The project, driven by the Malvern Hoops campaign led by Jon May and Tom Bennett, has been brought about alongside their work with the town council.

The new basketball courts are being located adjoining the Pickersleigh Avenue car park at Victoria Park. These courts will have a new hi-tech playing surface made up of interlocking tiles, providing excellent traction, shock absorption and ball bounce.

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This will be the first time that this Flex Court surface will be available on a public facility in England and the Hoops campaigners hope that it will attract a range of users from complete beginners to league competitions and even training sessions hosted by the Worcester Wolves.

The new basketball courts will mean that the existing multi-use games court will now be specifically designated for five-a-side football.

Netballers are also being included in this new development project and although netball courts are shared with tennis players seasonally, the netball courts will be getting new line markings and four brand new goal posts.

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Mayor of Malvern, Cllr Neil Morton said: “I am so pleased that this project is coming to fruition after so many years of hard work and planning.

“Basketball is an increasingly popular sport and two new high-quality courts will help to raise both the amount and quality of leisure facilities available to local residents. This is also part of a larger and longer-term plan to develop and improve the whole of Victoria Park.”

A Malvern Town Council spokesman said disruption will be kept to an “absolute minimum” with groundworks taking three weeks, followed by the installation of fencing and the surfacing. It is hoped that the courts will open to the public in September.