A planned new multi-sports facility has been awarded a cash boost.

A new games area on the former training area next to Bridport Football Club at St Mary’s Field will receive a £27,500 grant.

Bridport Town Council is one of 38 local organisations across the country to share in a £1.6million handout from Sport England.

In a major boost to grassroots sports clubs the investment comes from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities Olympic and Paralympic legacy fund.

The council is taking over the land from West Dorset District Council and the £54,000 project will see a fully floodlit, multi-sports facility for use by schools, local clubs and the public.

The multi-use games area project in Bridport has been developed by the town council with the support of a number of partners including the Bridport Football Partnership, Bridport Football Club, St Mary’s School and children’s centre, local clubs, West Dorset District Council and the Bridport Area Youth Council.

Other funding earmarked is for the project from the town council, Section 106 funding held by West Dorset District Council and from funds raised by clubs.

Coun Sarah Williams, leader of the town council said: “This is great news and I am very pleased that Sport England has agreed to provide this support, which will now enable this project to proceed. This has been a long standing aspiration of the town council and one of the priority projects in our Town Plan.

“The provision of a multi-use games area in the town centre is something that young people have raised with the town council on many occasions, including through the Youth Council, and we look forward to providing this new facility.”

Bridport Town Council surveyor Daryl Chambers added: “This is part of a package we have put together with West Dorset District Council and other partners and we are really pleased to have the opportunity to revamp this area, as part of the land transfer from the district council.”

The town council will be considering the potential designs and a project delivery plan at its finance and general purposes committee in September and hopes to start work on the scheme later in the year.

Sport England chairman Nick Bitel said: “A year on from the Olympics, it’s inspiring to see how our investment is transforming sporting facilities in hundreds of communities.

“The great news for sports clubs across the country is that we’re putting an extra £40 million into Inspired Facilities, so many more projects will benefit in the coming years."