'First of its kind' new sports technology hub coming to city

PLANS to create what is said to be Wales’ first sport technology hub in Swansea have been approved.

- RICHARD YOULE

The four-storey building will replace Swansea University’s pavilion by the Swansea Bay Sports Park athletics track, Sketty.

Inside will be laboratory and demonstration areas, workshops, office space, media studios and seminar rooms for the university, health sector and commercial partners.

The idea is to research and develop products which can help elite sportsmen and women, and benefit people’s health more widely. This could include so-called wearable technology which collects data on things like physical activity.

The university-led scheme is one element of a Swansea Bay city deal project and is expected to cost around £17 million, according to a city deal report last month. There are nine city deal projects spanning Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire involving the public and private sector.