JETS SET TO FLY TO NEW HOME?

Cheshire Jets have resurrected plans to quit their long-time base at the Northgate Arena and move to a new facility in nearby Ellesmere Port.

The idea, which was mothballed several years ago, could go ahead in 2014 after proposals were unveiled to built a £10.5 million sports complex – including 1500-seater arena – that would replace the Jets original home in the town. And it is set to win support from the area’s councils who would share the costs of its development.

“The aim is to jointly fund the facility, which will provide security of tenure for all of our community programmes and our professional team in the long-term,” Jets director Pete Hawkins said.

“What we are proposing is a facility of national standard for basketball in the UK which will be fully compliant with the televisual requirements for BSkyB and other media partners. The arena would also be able to play host to international competitions at club and national representational level.

“We look forward to working with Cheshire West and Chester, Sport England and other funding bodies to turn this vision into a reality in 2013.”

The ageing Northgate, long regarded as one of the worst venues in the BBL, has a capacity of 1000 and is not suitable for televised games.

Construction of the Ellesmere Port venue would depend on securing local government financing as well as planning approval.

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