Appendix E - Updated Proposal for Football Playing Pitches, October 2025

(from Mary Holdway, Leisure Development Manager)

An application for Strategic CIL was submitted in 2022 and secured for £68,050. At the time, we had understood that the Football Foundation were due to open a grant application process for local authorities. However, the application criteria for this subsequently changed and as a local authority, we can’t apply directly. The previous application identified 19 pitches across 9 sites, of which 12 were currently marked. For the 2025/26 season, only 7 pitches are marked across 4 sites.

Pitch inspections have been carried out on the two most used Council sites and estimated costs of works are:

Bishop Duppas Recreation Ground - £8120

Kenyngton Recreation Ground - £7840

The pitch report only assessed two pitches at Kenyngton Recreation Ground. However, there are three, even four pitches that have been used at this site. Within the Playing Pitch Strategy 2019, the pitches are at the lower end of ‘standard’ quality, but one adult pitch is ‘poor’ (uneven and limited grass). We have had user feedback for several years that the pitches are uneven affecting match play. The pavilion at Kenyngton Manor is leased out and the Council receive an income from this. If the pitches aren’t at a reasonable playing standard, then this could impact on the usage and income.

Shepperton Recreation Ground is regularly booked by a local private school and Lammas Recreation Ground is used by a junior club. Other sites that have had usage but are not currently used are Ashford Recreation Ground and Littleton Recreation Ground. A report showed works at Ashford to cost £8120.

Football has not been played at the following sites for several years, so no work is being proposed at this current time on Cedars Recreation Ground, Laleham Park and Long Lane Recreation Ground.

Currently, we are requesting that approximately £8,000 is allocated to 4 sites as below:

Bishop Duppas Recreation Ground

Kenyngton Recreation Ground

Ashford Recreation Ground

Shepperton Recreation Ground

A minimum of £20,000 is proposed to be spent towards levelling the pitches at Kenyngton Manor Recreation Ground.

The Council have recently commissioned KKP to undertake a Playing Pitch and Open Spaces Assessment. As part of this process, pitches will be inspected. As work on pitch improvements cannot take place during the season if being used by Clubs, it is proposed that any urgent rectifications identified within the report, then funding could be allocated appropriately for these works. The report may also identify if pitches that have previously been used, could be brought back into action.