THE north of Colchester is set to change almost beyond recognition over the coming years.

The Northern Gateway project will see three huge new developments built just off the A12, near Colchester United's Jobserve Community Stadium.

These developments will bring sports and leisure facilities, as well as hundreds of new homes and healthcare provision, to Highwoods, making it set to become the fastest growing part of Colchester in the coming years.

Colchester Council embarked on the project more than five-years-ago but works are now well underway and the first section of Northern Gateway, the sports park, is set to open before Easter.

The area will be linked by a new walking route call The Walk, featuring a range of public open space.

The whole development will be powered by a first-of-its-kind low carbon network using energy from the ground to power and heat buildings, whilst new superfast broadband infrastructure is being installed to serve the developments as well as Highwoods itself.

Here is everything we know about the developments:

Northern Gateway Leisure Park

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The long-awaited plans for the new £50 million cinema and leisure complex in Colchester were unanimously backed by councillors this week.

Turnstone Estate's development at Northern Gateway, south of junction 28 of the A12, will feature a 12-screen cinema, set to be run by Cineworld, as well as seven restaurants and a 90-bed hotel, run by Travelodge.

It will also include two drive-thru eateries, a bowling alley, an indoor golf centre and a climbing facility as well as a landscaped piazza and a car park with 750 spaces and associated electric vehicle charging points.

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Plans have been in development since 2015, with Brexit and changes to the leisure market causing delays, however the latest iteration of the proposals were approved by Colchester Council's planning committee at a meeting on Thursday.

Northern Gateway Sports Park

Gazette: Work in progress - the opening of the Northern Gateway Sports Park has been delayed because of coronavirusWork in progress - the opening of the Northern Gateway Sports Park has been delayed because of coronavirus

Set to open by Easter, after being delayed by Covid-19, the £29 million sports park is set to be a regional centre of excellence.

The new facility will include a one-mile floodlit cycle track consisting of six loops.

The track, with provisions for cycling for people with disabilities and also for those with special needs, will provide leisurely cyclists a safe space to ride their bikes, whilst providing serious cyclists with a facility to challenge themselves and to improve.

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The 76-acre site, located off the A12, also features a multi-use sports centre, indoor cricket, a fitness suite, exercise and cycle studios, a new state-of-the-art rugby facility that will become the new home of Colchester Rugby Football Club, two all-weather pitches, additional grass pitches and an archery range.

The development also includes improvements to the A12 at junction 28 and improves to pedestrian access.

Northern Gateway homes

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Work has begun on a £3.45million site which will eventually feature a private surgical hospital, care home and space for shops and businesses.

Ipswich-based firm Breheny have been awarded the contact to start work on the Colchester Northern Gateway-South project by Colchester Amphora Trading - Colchester Council’s commercial arm.

The masterplan for the 24-hectare site, which is south of junction 28 of the A12, will see the construction of up to 350 new homes with 30 per cent set to be affordable, a healthcare campus with 300 units and a private acute surgical hospital.

There will also be a 75-bed care home, and space for shops and restaurants.

Find out more about the plans for the Northern Gateway by visiting www.northerngatewaycolchester.co.uk.