People living in Rushcliffe are set to benefit from over £1.2m investment into local football facilities and playing fields in West Bridgford.
Rushcliffe Borough Council have been awarded a grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation, to install a new full size floodlit 3G football turf pitch, refurbishment of its existing 3G pitch and upgrade of the existing grass pitches at the Gresham Sports Park facility.
The authority worked with the Football Foundation and the Nottinghamshire FA to secure the £458,275 grant towards the project. Further investment of developer contributions secured by local planning agreements for sport and leisure provision meant it can now invest a total of £1.26m to the project.
The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports charity and exists to improve the experience of playing football for everyone, by championing fair access to quality facilities.
This grant will enable clubs across Rushcliffe and wider Nottinghamshire the chance to play football each week, to improve their playing experience and ensure that the authority continues to deliver great facilities.
Work gets underway on Tuesday May 4 on its grass pitches and the new 3G pitch in time for new football seasons starting in September with outdoor facilities closed from this date at the site.
It will also mean access to playing areas and open spaces around Gresham Park Road may be unavailable at short notice until this time.
Players will be able to enjoy an additional 3G pitch and better quality grass pitches thanks to the grant, alongside the Borough Council’s investment in renovated changing facilities and LED flood lighting to the existing 3G pitch.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Executive Director for Neighbourhoods Dave Banks said: “This is wonderful news for local sport and football in Rushcliffe, thanks to the Football Foundation grant.
“We’re delighted to have secured the funding that will upgrade facilities at the Gresham site and offer existing and new generations of footballers and athletes a chance to develop their skills in better facilities that can only aid health and wellbeing.
“Works will take place over a number of months until late summer so we ask everyone who uses these popular facilities and open spaces to follow local signage.
“We look forward to welcoming all back to enjoy an even better place for sport and recreation at Gresham later in the year.”
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “This grant award to Rushcliffe Borough Council towards developing at Gresham is great news for the local community.
“It will support people’s ability to play our national game locally and therefore help unlock football’s many benefits to physical and mental wellbeing.
“That’s why we’re committed to transforming the face of grassroots football facilities in this country. It’s therefore very welcome news to hear that this funding will support Rushcliffe Borough Council in developing Gresham for their local community.
“The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA, government and Sport England – support facility development projects like this across the country over the next decade to transform our grassroots game and unlock the power of pitches.”
The main 3G contract has been awarded to Limonta Smith Construction and the grass pitch works has been awarded to J Pugh-Lewis.
