Local Football Facility Plan Barking and Dagenham

Barking and Dagenham is in the London region

The current population of the Authority (GLA 2016 Round Mid-Year Estimate) is 205,142. This is expected to rise to 254,723 by 2039.

39.1% of the Barking and Dagenham population is within NS SEC classification 6-8 (lower socio-economic groups). This is above the national average (30.6%).

Barking and Dagenham’s ethnic composition is primarily White (58.3%), and this is lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Barking and Dagenham’s population represented by the BAME community is 41.7%. This is significantly above the national average of 14.6%.

The main ethnic group of the BAME community is Black, which accounts for 20.0% of the population.

Local Authority

Barking and Dagenham Council is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of its residents. Through its Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2015-2018. The Authority’s objective is to ensure residents start well, live well and age well. It builds on the Council’s vision ‘One borough; one community; London’s growth opportunity’ and its key focus is to collectively make the changes needed to give residents the best opportunity for a healthy, happy and longer life.

The Local Authority has a Playing Pitch Strategy in place which was adopted in 2015. The findings identify the following:

There is one 3G FTP and the need for at least one other. It must be noted that the Authority should consider that demand for 3G pitches from teams outside the Borough may also exist as adult clubs from outside the Authority can be quite transient.

70% of grass pitches were available for community use.

There was an oversupply of adult football pitches as well as less significant youth and mini soccer undersupply.

Football clubs generally indicated that the Council pitches were poorly maintained and that the cost of the pitches was too high for the maintenance that they receive.

County Football Association

Barking and Dagenham is covered by Essex County FA. They provide governance and development support to all aspects of local football including coaches, referees, volunteers, clubs and leagues; supporting football for all. The County FA has a designated facilities investment lead officer who works to ensure the right facilities are in the right locations.

Football Foundation

The Regional Engagement Manager and Regional Technical Project Manager at the Football Foundation work collaboratively with the County FA to provide pre-application support to priority projects for potential investment.

Sport England

Has a network of planning managers who have a statutory role in the planning system to protect playing fields and provide consultation responses to planning applications relating to sporting facilities. They also play a key role in strategic planning for sports facilities, providing advice and support to local authorities to assess need for facilities in their local area.

Professional Club Community Organisations (CCOs)

These continue to expand and enhance their range of community delivery, offering a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). Both the Dagenham and Redbridge Foundation and the West Ham United Foundation deliver a variety of activities within the local area. These include a girl's football league, Kicks sessions, walking football sessions and primary school extra-curricular programmes.

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Local leisure operator

Everyone Active manages the Council’s indoor leisure provision. The company currently operates two sports centres, Becontree Heath and Abbey leisure centres.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Barking and Dagenham. A total of 14 individuals (representing eight local organisations) were consulted. These include:

• London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• Dagenham and Redbridge FC
• Muslimah sports
• She Can Play
• West Ham United Foundation

(See Appendix B for full list of consultees)

Clubs

There are over 91,000 community football teams in England, spread over an expansive network of clubs and leagues. Barking and Dagenham has a total of 174 teams, which is lower than local areas of a similar size.

The FA is investing to support clubs both on and off the pitch which includes an aim to have a qualified FA coach with every youth team by 2020/21. In addition, it will support 1,000 clubs to create full player pathways from youth to adult teams and develop 150 community football hubs with male and female pathways, disability and recreational playing opportunities.

Over the last 10-years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In Barking and Dagenham, five clubs have more than 10 registered teams. The largest of these (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

• Cobra Youth – 10 teams
• Dagenham United - 18 teams
• Euro Dagenham - 22 teams
• Jets F.C. - 12 teams
• May & Baker Eastbrook Community - 20 teams

Five leagues have coverage in Barking and Dagenham. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, disability, youth and adults.

Note: the Essex County Girls League and the Essex Soccability League is county wide provisions which presents a challenge when trying to drive up female and disability participation.

Barking and Dagenham largest local leagues (2017-18) include:

• Echo Junior Football League – 732 teams– home and away
• Essex Alliance Football League – 53 teams– home and away
• Essex Sunday Corinthian Football League – 49 teams– home and away
• Essex Sunday Football Combination – 45 teams – home and away
• East London and Essex Junior Football League – 161 teams – home and away / central venue

The County FA reports that there is some cross boundary migration in Barking and Dagenham due to teams migrating outwards to the Redbridge and Havering local authority.

Disability football

There are 9.4million people in England with a long-standing limiting disability, illness or condition which equates to 18% of the population – almost one in five. Football playing opportunities should be flexible, inclusive and accessible for everyone, whatever their level of ability. This could entail inclusion in mainstream activity or teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability.

In Barking and Dagenham there are 5 football teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the County FA to grow this provision. For talented players the FA run Regional Centres and England national squads.

Women and girls

The FA has big ambitions for the female game and aims to double levels of participation by 2020. To achieve this requires a combined effort across four pathways: education, recreation, competition and talent.

Education environments have a huge impact on the first experience of football for young girls. This pathway can offer many opportunities for females of all ages to develop and grow a lifelong interest in football.

FA Wildcats girls football centres provide the first step on the recreational pathway, the programme provides girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football in a fun and engaging environment. Barking and Dagenham has one FA Wildcats girls football centre and the priority is to grow this activity. This is located at Becontree Leisure Centre.

At six, Barking and Dagenham’s number of female teams is comparable to local areas of a similar size. The County FA’s priority is to support existing clubs to grow and encourage more clubs to develop playing opportunities for females. The local girls league is the Essex County Girls Football League and matches are played on a home and away basis. The league is expected to grow its provision in future years. The Echo Junior Football League is piloting girls’ teams playing a year down in the 18/19 season. The local adult female league is the Essex County Women's Football League and matches are played on a home and away basis and the league is expected to sustain its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is the Essex Regional Talent Club, which is in Colchester along with the Millwall RTC, Arsenal RTC and Charlton RTC in London. A Player Development Centre (PDC) takes place in Havering. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads. The most local Women’s Super League team is West Ham United Ladies which provides player pathway opportunities for gifted and talented female players and a spectator interest for fans.

Small-sided football

Many different types of small-sided football are played in England, from teams and leagues to recreational and informal. It is an established and important part of the modern game.

Small-sided teams & leagues are organised and competitive activities; typically, with players registered to clubs and affiliated to leagues and their County FAs. Examples include Futsal and local small-sided leagues running at venues such as sports halls, 3G FTPs or small-sided 3G centres.

Key local providers include:

Goals Dagenham

Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced, small sided team game that is widely played across the world. Typically, it’s played on an indoor surface with hockey-sized goals and a size 4 football with reduced ball bounce. It is the FA’s aim to ensure Futsal is available across the country.

There is currently one futsal team in Barking and Dagenham that play in the National Futsal League at key site locations including Barking Sporthouse. It is a priority for the County FA to grow Futsal for youth players, inclusive of boys and girls.

Recreational football

Recreational football is played where facilities are typically booked and there might be someone to help organise. Examples include FA Just Play sessions, walking football and casual pitch hire for small-sided match play.

There is currently one FA Just Play Centre in Barking and Dagenham. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Everyone Active. Walking football and Just Play are areas that the County FA has prioritised for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include pro-club community scheme activity and casual bookings which are delivered by a range of organisations including Dagenham and Redbridge FC Community Trust.

Informal football

Informal football is played in local parks and green spaces – it is free, open access and often played spontaneously (normal clothing is worn). Common examples include a kick-about at a local park or on a multi-use games area (MUGA).

The key strengths of local football in Barking and Dagenham include adult male and growth in disability provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and encouraged to grow further. However, there are aspects of football provision that are lower than local authorities of a similar size, these include mini soccer, youth and recreational.

It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Barking and Dagenham are:

1. Increase girls' opportunities specifically at the 5-11 age group including support transition between school and club environment
2. Support improvement to club structures including sustaining and increasing Charter Standard coverage
3. Develop recreational football pathways in the borough including Just Play sessions and flexi football
4. Increase mini-soccer and youth affiliated teams
5. Develop a Futsal hub for player development

The facilities required to assist this are now set out in the Assets and Opportunities section.

Additionally, each priority project that progresses to a funding application via the Football Foundation will produce a detailed ‘site development plan’ specifying all football development activity, usage and key partner engagement.

This section reviews existing football facility assets in [add area]. It identifies current issues and presents opportunities for improvements, including a list of priority projects for potential investment.

Local assets and opportunities have been reviewed inline with four investment priorities:

1. 3G FTPs
2. Improved grass pitches
3. Changing room pavilions / clubhouses
4. Small-sided facilities

To ensure a consistent and high quality approach, each local area has been reviewed applying a standard approach, supplemented by input from consultation with local partners and stakeholder organisations.

While each investment priority is reviewed individually, it is understood that they can be inter-reliant; account is, thus, taken of these potential connections.

3G FTPs are a high quality and indispensable part of modern football facilities; their impact cannot be underestimated. In recent years the industry has seen major innovations and improvements to artificial surfaces (and sports lighting). This has created playing surfaces that replicate a good standard natural turf pitch whilst significantly increasing levels of use (x20). All FTPs must have sports lighting to achieve this.

The high quality, consistent playing surface is the ideal environment to play the game and for young people to learn. With regular maintenance programmes, FTPs can be heavily used all year round with no decline in quality. They almost completely negate annoying fixture cancellations during winter months, helping football to be a key part of a regular physical activity habit.

High capacity levels offer a great opportunity to embrace all formats and engage all participants. A full-sized 3G caters for an average of 1,200 participants per week and is suitable for various location types. That means being fully inclusive to all sections of the community, with a focus on under-represented groups such as women and girls, people with a disability, BAME communities and people from lower socio-economic groups.

The way 3G FTPs are used is rapidly changing; current line-marking systems allow for match play across all formats of football (5v5, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11). This enables significant levels of match-play to be transferred from grass to 3G.

Barking and Dagenham is presently part of the FA Parklife programme to develop multi-3G pitch hubs through large scale portfolio investment.

FA data states that there are currently four full size 3G FTPs (of which three are currently available for community use) in Barking and Dagenham. This is a shortfall of three community available pitches relative to assessed demand identified via the FA Parklife model. Please note this is not reflective of the FA training demand model.

Existing 3G FTPs in Barking and Dagenham:

• Barking Abbey School Sports Ground
• Robert Clack School
• West Ham United Training Ground (Chadwell Heath)
• Barking Riverside School

In addition, Dagenham Park Leisure Centre has a 90m x 45m small 3G FTP which is used for football training and recreational use.

Additionally, there is currently one small-sided 3G FTP centre in Barking and Dagenham:

• Goals (Dagenham) Soccer Centre

Three of the four full size pitches are currently available for community use (Barking Abbey School Sports Ground, Barking Riverside School and Robert Clack School) and are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play).

The geographical spread of existing facilities is uneven and there are provisional gaps in the north west (close to the Redbridge border) in relation to population density. Local consultation reveals common issues with high pricing and low availability. It is recommended that these are addressed.

The Local Authority is currently progressing development of a Parklife Hub site at Parsloes Park, in Barking. The proposal is to install three 3G FTPs, one of which, will be a stadia pitch to support May and Baker FC. The pitches will be supported by a health and fitness suite, studio and several classrooms. It is anticipated that these pitches will be fully operational for the 2020/21 season.

Four priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Parsloes Park was selected for Parklife based on a rationale of good access, high levels of deprivation and high levels of lower social economic groups. The small sided FTPs are required in areas of significant housing growth and high health inequalities.

1- Parsloes Park (Parklife Hub site): Three new floodlit 11v11 3G FTPs

• Existing facilities: 20 full size grass pitch equivalents
• Current users: Cobra Youth FC, Romford Elite, Cranham Athletic, Bretons Manor FC, Brockwell Rovers.
• Rationale: Parklife Hub site development in progress. Investment will support junior, women and girls, BAME communities, disability football, over 50s football, recreational and senior football.

2- Gascoigne Estate: One new floodlit 7v7 3G FTP

• Existing facilities: n/a
• Current users: n/a
• Rationale: Proposed new primary school to be built in area as part of significant housing growth. In addition, there is significant health inequalities in the area. Investment will support junior, women and girls, BAME communities and recreational football.

3- Mayesbrook Park: One new 5v5 3G FTP

• Existing facilities: n/a
• Current users: n/a
• Rationale: Open grass space. Investment would support recreational football, junior football and women and girls' football. A facility to support Barking FC.

4- Pondfield Park: Upgrade to 5v5 3G FTP

• Existing facilities: MUGA
• Current users: Dagenham and Redbridge Community programme.
• Rationale: Poor quality surface, an upgrade would support Dagenham and Redbridge’s community programme. Investment would support recreational football, junior football and women and girls' football.

Playing fields are one of the most important resources for sport in England. All football players should have the opportunity to play on good quality grass pitches. However, FA data shows that 63% of pitches in England are poor / low standard and 1 in 6 games are cancelled. As such, poor pitch quality is consistently cited as the number one issue for players.

The priority is, therefore, to sustainably improve grass pitch quality across all main pitch owners (local authorities, education establishments and clubs). However, the level of maintenance required to obtain good quality standards is regularly affected by restricted budgets and limited knowledge/ training. Compaction and grass coverage are two key causes of poor quality pitches. Both are commonly treated via a maintenance driven solution (and do not necessarily require costly drainage schemes).

Playing fields are also valuable resources for informal play and open-access sites are encouraged but, for many, problems such as dog fouling and vandalism mean that they need to be protected with mitigation measures such as fencing.

In many local areas the key challenge is to create a sustainable approach to provide good quality football pitches for the long-term. Many local authorities (78%) intend to increase pitch hire fees in the future. However, many players (63%) believe facilities are already expensive and some (16%) believe prices are prohibitive. A sustainable solution should, therefore, carefully balance pitch quality and affordability.

While the education sector (37%) and local authorities (32%) are still the principal asset owners of grass pitches, clubs / leagues own or maintain an increasing share (currently 25%). Assets and opportunities have been considered across each sector.

Although large (3+ pitch) strategic sites are important and make up much of the project list within the LFFPs, this does not mean that other club, league and community/voluntary sites are not important or eligible for funding. These sites are key to the Football Foundation's Grass Pitch Programme to deliver 20,000 good quality pitches.

For more information click here.

PitchPower

The PitchPower app is the gateway to any grass pitch improvement funding. It is the tool that will allow clubs and organisations to complete pitch inspections and access funds.

If you haven't signed up and completed a PitchPower pitch inspection, you will need to do this before you can apply for the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund.

Learn more by clicking here.

There are currently 10 grass pitch sites in Barking and Dagenham with three or more full-size pitch equivalents containing 56 grass pitches. Of these, five sites are considered to have good quality pitches and five poor quality.

Local consultation shows common issues with poor quality and it is recommended that these are addressed.

Five priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Each site has three or more full-size pitch equivalents of poor quality. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by FA data and qualified by local partners. The prioritisation was made by local partners with the rationale of selecting sites in the poorest condition, that were most well utilised and had a strategic focus to increase participation.

1- Parsloes Park: Works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities: 20 full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Cobra Youth FC, Romford Elite, Cranham Athletic, Bretons Manor FC, Brockwell Rovers.
• Rationale: Parklife Hub site. Grass pitch improvements required to support 3G FTPs. Investment will support junior, women and girls, BAME communities, disability, over 50s, recreational and senior football.

5- Valance Park: Works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities: Five full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Valance United FC
• Rationale: Poor quality pitches. Investment will support junior football, women and girls, and senior football.

6- Old Dagenham Park: Works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities: Four full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Valiant FC, Ironworks FC, Beckton Gas, Albion FC.
• Rationale: Poor quality pitches. Investment will support junior, women and girls and senior football.

7- Barking Park: Works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities: Four full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: n/a
• Rationale: Flagship site currently not used by local football clubs due to current lack of demand for adult 11v11 clubs. Local Authority currently in negotiations with Euro Dagenham FC to move to this site. Ongoing investment required to maintain this flagship site to support junior and senior football.

8- Warren Sports Centre: Works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities: Four full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Hornchurch FC, Lionside FC, Ultimate Vision
• Rationale: poor quality grass pitches as referenced through consultation and the latest PPS. Investment will support junior and senior football.

These can provide several different benefits. While the primary function is normally the provision of changing rooms to accommodate match-play and training (for players and officials), there can be equal value in facilities such as community and education rooms, catering facilities and spectator toilets.

Each project will take a progressive approach to pavilions and clubhouses (beyond the provision of changing rooms) and be open to new opportunities to engage the whole community. That means, creating environments that are welcoming to players, spectators, volunteers, officials and all sections of the community.

Such assets should support other investment priorities (e.g. 3G FTPs and grass pitches) and be located at sites that will have the greatest impact on local communities. To ensure this, focus is given to sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents. However, as pitch quality is the number one priority for players this is prioritised before investment in changing room pavilions /clubhouses.

Clearly, facilities need to be well managed and maintained to keep them in a good state of repair. Consideration will be given to reviewing the best operator solution for key sites and the installation of revenue generating features such as catering facilities and community rooms. To achieve this, business plan support will be given to each priority project as it progresses to an application to the Football Foundation.

Of the 10 key sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents in Barking and Dagenham, seven have suitable changing room pavilions/clubhouses, two have existing facilities that need improvement/ replacing and one site requires a new pavilion.

Three priority projects for potential investment have therefore been identified. Each project has three or more full-size pitch equivalents and has either no facilities or was assessed against a standard criterion to have an unsuitable pavilion:

1- Parsloes Park: New changing pavilion

• Existing facilities: 20 full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Cobra Youth FC, Romford Elite, Cranham Athletic, Bretons Manor FC, Brockwell Rovers.
• Rationale: Proposed Parklife site. Changing room upgraded required to support 3G FTP installation. Investment will support junior, women and girls, BAME communities, disability over 50s, recreational and senior football.

5- Valance Park: Refurbished changing pavilion

• Existing facilities: Five full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Valance United FC
• Rationale: Poor quality changing rooms. Investment will support junior, women and girls, and senior football.

6- Old Dagenham Park: Refurbished changing pavilion

• Existing facilities: Four full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Valiant FC, Ironworks FC, Beckton Gas, Albion FC.
• Rationale: Poor quality changing rooms. Investment will support junior, women and girls and senior football.

Good facilities are important to all small-sided football players, but it is important to understand the different formats of the small-sided game and the various facility types they relate to.

Research suggests that small-sided players in teams & leagues, and in recreational sessions, prefer a 3G surface type because it replicates a good standard natural turf pitch. These facilities have already been covered in the 3G FTP section of this LFFP.

Indoor environments currently accommodate 20% of football participation and are also popular with players in teams & leagues and recreational sessions. Indoor sports halls are most popular, along with some community halls and indoor 3G centres. Environments need to be engaging, have clear line-marking and the correct size goalposts.

Informal players require facilities that are open and free to access as this enables play opportunities that are often spontaneous. In these circumstances multi-use games areas (MUGAs) can be effective in areas of high urban population and limited green space. Such facilities can be modern, bright, creative and engaging. While this plan will identify suitable locations for such facilities, the design and specifics of the facility type can be agreed at a later stage with Football Foundation staff when projects are ready to progress to pre-application stage.

Parks and open green spaces are also important to informal play and require goalposts and zones that are free from litter and dog fouling.

Local consultation reveals there is one indoor facility that requires improvement to develop small-sided football.

9- Gorsebrook school: Refurbished indoor football facility

• Existing facilities: Four court sports hall.
• Current users: Recreational football.
• Rationale: Poor quality sports hall to support futsal development in the Authority. Upgrade required which will include futsal goals and line markings. Investment will support junior football, senior football, women and girls' football and recreation football.

Five potential opportunities for MUGAs have been identified. In each case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of high urban population, limited green space, high levels of deprivation, high levels of lower social economic groups and corresponding high local demand for informal football:

5- Valance Park: MUGA upgrade

• Existing facilities: MUGA
• Current users: Recreational use.
• Rationale: Poor quality MUGA. Investment will support recreational and informal football.

7- Barking Park: MUGA upgrade

• Existing facilities: MUGA
• Current users: Recreational use.
• Rationale: Poor quality MUGA. Investment will support recreational and informal football.

10- Tantony Green Estate: New MUGA

• Existing facilities: n/a
• Current users: Recreational use.
• Rationale: Lack of facilities in area with high levels of ASB in the community. Investment will support recreational and informal football.

11- Greatfields Park: New MUGA

• Existing facilities: n/a
• Current users: Recreational use.
• Rationale: Lack of facilities in area. Investment will support recreational and informal football.

12- Newlands Park: New MUGA

• Existing facilities: n/a
• Current users: Recreational use.
• Rationale: Major housing growth in the area, with new facilities required. Investment will support recreational and informal football.

Following local consultation, one location has been identified to support small-sided informal football. Here, the rationale is based on highly popular local parks and open green spaces with suitable space / areas to increase informal football:

1- Parsloes Park: Informal football provision

• Existing facilities: 20 full size pitch equivalents. Changing pavilion.
• Current users: Cobra Youth FC, Romford Elite, Cranham Athletic, Bretons Manor FC, Brockwell Rovers.
• Rationale: Due to Parklife being created at the site, informal activities could be developed as part of the development. Ideas include foot golf and kick walls. Investment will support recreational football.

• Head of Parks & Environment: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• Group Manager - Integrated Youth Services: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• Lead Commissioner – Parks: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• Commissioning Director – Culture and Recreation: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• Head of Planning Growth and Homes: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
• Inclusion Officer: Essex County Football Association
• Parklife Development Officer: Essex County Football Association
• Community Manager: Dagenham and Redbridge FC
• Head Coach Barking FC
• Head Coach May and Baker FC
• Head Coach Dagenham United
• Community manager: Muslimah Sports
• League manager: Essex Alliance League
• Community manager: West Ham United