Local Football Facility Plan Chiltern

Chiltern is in the South Region.

The current population of the Authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 95,355. This is expected to rise to 101,412 by 2039.

Chiltern is ranked 65 out of 67 LAs in the region, and 324 out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

Its ethnic composition is primarily white (91.5%). This is higher than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Chiltern’s population represented by the BAME community is 8.5%. This is below to the national average (14.6%).

Local Authority

Since 2013, through a Joint Strategic Partnership, Chiltern and South Bucks District councils have a shared services agreement with the objective of streamlining service provision across both while enabling each to maintain its own identity. As a consequence, all strategic plans produced cover both authorities. The latest Joint Strategic Partnership Strategy: A Business Plan for Chiltern and South Bucks District Councils (2016-2020) sets out the stated aim to improve the quality of life for everyone across both districts. This is to be achieved via:

1. Delivery of cost-effective, customer-focused services.
2. Working towards safer and healthier local communities.
3. Striving to conserve the environment whilst also promoting sustainable economic growth.

To improve the health of local communities, the Joint Strategic Partnership is committed to ensuring that all leisure provision provides for the future, including the re-development of the Chiltern Pools site.

The joint Chiltern and South Bucks District Playing Pitch Strategy is currently being updated, with no official timescale as to its completion.

The key findings for Chiltern signal the absence of full-sized 3G FTPs and note a requirement for six (based on the FA demand model of 1:42). In addition, there is both a current and future under supply of grass pitches across all junior formats of the game.

It should be noted that Aylesbury Vale, Chiltern, Wycombe, and South Bucks district councils will merge in April 2020 to become one unitary authority; Buckinghamshire Council. When this plan for South Bucks is refreshed, it will be merged/combined with the other authority LFFPs to create one overarching plan.

County football association

Chiltern is covered by the Berks and Bucks County FA. It provides governance for, 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 located 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 community club organisations (CCOs)

These offer a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). There is no active CCO in Chiltern.

Local leisure operator

GLL is the key leisure operator in Chiltern at present although there will be a new operator (Everyone Active) as of April 2020. It runs the following sports centres, Chalfont Leisure Centre, Chesham Leisure Centre and Chiltern Pools and Gym. There is no 3G provision at any of the listed sites. Chiltern Pools and Gym is scheduled to be replaced as part of the Council's strategic objective to improve the leisure offer in the Authority.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Chiltern. 12 individuals (representing 11 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• A number of key clubs
• Misbourne School
• Holmer Green Community School

(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. Chiltern has a total of 228 teams, which is comparable to 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 ten years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In Chiltern, seven clubs have more than ten registered teams. These (based on 2018-19 data) are:

• Chalfont Saints - 24 teams
• Chalfont St Peter - 16 teams
• Chesham Athletic - 15 teams
• Chesham Utd Youth - 20 teams
• Kings Chruch (Amersham) - 18 teams
• Penn & Tylers Green - 21 teams
• Westwood Park - 20 teams

Leagues

Seven leagues cater for clubs and teams playing in Chiltern. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, youth and adults While there is no specific league opportunity for disability football in the district, suitable provision is made in neighbouring Oxford. The largest of the local leagues (2018-19) include:

• South Bucks Mini Soccer Conference – 288 teams– home and away
• Wycombe & South Bucks Minor Football League – 233 teams– home and away
• Chiltern Church Junior League – 114 teams– home and away

The County FA reports some cross boundary migration to/from Chiltern primarily due to local teams migrating out to play in the Wycombe area.

Disability football

There are 9.4 million 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 Chiltern, there is one football team/session specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the County FA to grow this provision. For talented players the FA runs 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. Chiltern has 3 FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 14, Chiltern’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 Bucks Girls League in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It is expected to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Thames Valley Counties Women’s Football League in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It too is expected to grow provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Milton Keynes Dons FC. 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 Reading FC Women. It 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 and 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.

Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced, small sided team game that is widely played across the world. Typically it is 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 that futsal is available across the country.

Currently the four futsal teams in Chiltern play in the Wycombe Futsal League. It is a priority for the County FA to grow futsal for youth players.

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 Chiltern. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as GLL. Walking football and Just Play are County FA priorities for further growth and development.

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).

Currently, informal football in Chiltern is played particularly in the central part of the local authority. King George V Playing Fields (Amersham) and Chesham Moor Gym & Swim are key well-used site locations.

The key strengths of local football in Chiltern include youth male and mini soccer provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, there are aspects of provision that do not match up to local authorities of a similar size, these include adult male and adult female football

It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities are:

1. Adult male retention
2. Youth female to adult pathway
3. Disability football
4. Futsal
5. Walking football and Just Play centres

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

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 Chiltern. 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 in line with four investment priorities:

• 3G FTPs
• Improved grass pitches
• Changing room pavilions / clubhouses
• Small sided facilities

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

While investment priorities are 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 particular 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.

There is, at present, no full-sized 3G FTP in Chiltern and just the one small sided facility (at Woodrow High School) which is a 5v5 3G FTP.

A full sized 3G FTP is currently being developed at Chiltern Hills Academy. Planning permission has been granted and it is anticipated that it will be operational by September 2020. It will predominantly support Chesham United Ladies FC, Chesham Athletic and Chesham Youth.

As the Chiltern and South Bucks PPS is currently being updated, it was agreed to calculate the shortfall of 3G FTPs using the latest FA training demand model (1:38). Based on the latest affiliation data (226 teams), there is a shortfall of six 3G FTPs. The advent of the new facility at Chiltern Hills Academy will reduce the shortfall to five full sized 3G FTPs.

The priority is, thus, to cater for key areas of population and affiliated football demand with new facilities. The 3G FTP at Chiltern Hills Academy will support clubs in the Chesham area so this plan has a focus on developing projects in the following areas.

• Chalfont region. There are several key clubs in this area, including Chalfont St Peters and Chalfont Saints. Consequently, this area needs two full sized 3G FTPs.
• Amersham- There are three key clubs in Amersham- Kings Church, Westwood Park FC and Amersham Town. A full sized 3G FTP is required in the locality to support both clubs.
• The west of the Authority- several key clubs are located in this part of the Authority - including Holmer Green. Two full sized 3G FTPs are required - one in Holmer Green and the other in the Missenden area.

Local consultation confirms the significance of the lack of facilities in key areas, Chiltern based clubs are having to access, as an alternative, facilities in neighbouring authorities or train on sand dressed pitch facilities. The Chalfont area should be a particular priority due to the high number of affiliated teams and the current lack of provision.

Five priority projects for potential investment are identified, all full sized 3G FTPs. Three sites are named and further feasibility work is required to identify specific preferred locations at which to install facilities in the Chalfont area.

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 quality and one in six games is 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 a 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.

The key challenge is to create a sustainable approach to provide good quality football pitches for the long term. Most local authorities (78%) intend to increase pitch hire fees in the future. However, the majority of 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 20 grass pitch sites in Chiltern with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 52 grass pitches. Of these, the pitches at 12 sites are of either standard or poor quality.

12 priority projects for potential investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by the latest PPS and ratified by local consultation. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites with pitches in poor or standard condition which are, or have the potential to be, well utilised - underpinned by a strategic focus on supporting club development.

These can provide a number of 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 20 key grass pitch sites in Chiltern with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three but deemed to be of strategic importance), 17 have suitable changing rooms and three require improvement/replacement.

Three priority projects for investment are identified:

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 and 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 and 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 indicates that, at present, no indoor facilities require improvement to develop small sided football.

Local consultation indicates three potential opportunities for MUGAs. In each case the rationale is based on the sites being located in areas which suffer from reported anti social behaviour and will provide opportunity to hep address this via the provision of enhanced options to play recreational football. All three projects are to be located at youth/community centres with opportunities to enhance programmes of use at these sites following installation.

Local consultation indicates that, at present, no parks or open green spaces require improvement to develop small sided football.

A range of local agencies and larger (usually 10 plus team) local football clubs were invited to participate in the LFFP consultation. Those that contributed are listed below:

Chiltern and South Bucks District Council- Leisure and Community Manager

Chiltern and South Bucks District Council- Active Communities Officer

Misbourne School- Business Manager

Penn and Tylers FC- Secretary

Amersham Town FC- Secretary

Chesham United- Secretary

Amersham School- Secretary

Chalfonts Community College- Secretary

Dr Challoner Grammar School- Secretary

Chalfont Saints- Club Secretary

Chalfont St Peters- Club Secretary

National Epilepsy Centre- Business manager