A Macclesfield independent school is building a 'world-class' sports facility that will benefit the wider community.

The King's School has announced that it will open a new sports pavilion at its 80-acre site in Prestbury in 2026.

Part of the '2020 Vision' for the Alderley Road campus, the plans were brought forward thanks to a substantial legacy left by former pupil and benefactor, Roy Forster.

In recognition of Roy's affection for King's, the £5 million development will be named the Forster Pavilion in his honour.

Jason Slack, head of King's, said: "We are delighted to complete our original development plan with Forster Pavilion.

"It is testament to our ongoing commitment to providing state-of-the-art facilities for our school and wider communities.

"We look forward to opening the pavilion in the name of our extremely generous benefactor, who was a talented cricketer and rugby player whilst at King's before going on to a successful career as a vet."

The pavilion will be located located at the centre of the school's hockey, netball and junior football pitches (Credit: King's School)

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The Forster Pavilion will be a two-story 'sports hub' with a wrap-around spectators' balcony.

Downstairs, two large and two smaller changing spaces with shower facilities will accommodate up to 200 pupils, with five further individual changing rooms for match officials and staff.

Upstairs you will find a 250-square-metre, open-plan, hospitality with full audio-visual capability, two separate meeting rooms and kitchen and catering provision.

The building will be fully accessible throughout and will be fitted with a full array of solar panels.

Due to open in September 2026, the pavilion will benefit a number of local sports clubs including both Macclesfield and Alderley Edge Hockey Club and Alderley United Football Club.

The pavilion will feature a wrap-around spectators' balcony (Credit: King's School)

Showing her support for the project, Dame Sarah Story said: "I'm excited to see the plans for the new King's sports pavilion.

"Sport has played a huge role in my life, and sport plays a powerful role in children's development of a wide range of life skills that go far beyond physical fitness, including teamwork, cooperation, confidence, resilience, and respect.

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"This new eco-friendly sports pavilion will be a fantastic addition to what is already an incredible campus at King's.

"It will be a fantastic space for King's pupils as well as provide the local community with additional facilities, including the many local sports clubs that regularly train and hold fixtures on King's Astro pitches and netball courts.

"This project is a fantastic investment in sports education and facilities for the region."