£8 million Oakfield sports centre to open in October

Jersey's new £8 million Oakfield sports facility is set to open in October and is being described as a 'landmark investment in the future of island sport.'

In an update on the progress of the development, Infrastructure and Environment says it is part of a wider transformation of facilities that marks a 'new era' of sport in the island.

The complex opposite Hautlieu School in St Saviour houses a 2,659m² multi-use sports hall and a dedicated gymnastics centre that has been described by officials as 'state-of-the-art'.

I&E says it has been designed to be suitable for a range of sports, including martial arts, netball, badminton, basketball, volleyball, tennis and indoor cricket . 

The space will be used by schools during the day, and clubs and the community in the evenings and weekends.

Bernard Cooper and Ian Cuming of the Jersey Sports Council

Construction of Oakfield began in August 2024, but it has not been without controversy.

The initial budget when plans were submitted in 2022 was projected to be £3m, with a completion date of May 2023.

Regent Gymnastics Club has wanted to remain at Fort Regent, using equipment it was gifted from the Paris 2024 Olympics, and in June Jersey's netballers protested about a lack of suitable court time at Oakfield.

The government's blog post  shows representatives from netball, cricket, martial arts and Jersey Sports Council taking a look around the new facility.

Ian Cuming, Chair of Jersey Sport Council, told Channel 103 it's a step in the right direction:

"What they've managed to produce is very cost-effective for what we're getting, and they've got a template there. So now they've built that and we know what it costs to build it, can we find a site somewhere else that we could put another Oakfield? 

"It will suit a number of sports and will be serving schools during the day.

If we look at the facility, we can probably put another somewhere else, and tweak it slightly to accommodate some other different sports.

"We could see (from our visit) that there were three basketball courts which can be used for other indoor sports. Two studios have also been earmarked for martial arts, with changing rooms.

"It's a marvellous addition to our facilities."

New equipment & layout of the Oakfield Community Gymnastics centre

The government says Oakfield centre is part of a 'decentralised approach' by building a network of modern, fit-for-purpose sports facilities across the island, which also makes use of existing facilities.

It says the next priority is to enhance facilities in the east of the island, with a 3G floodlit pitch at Le Rocquier and a new parish-led play area and pump track next to the Parish Hall.