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Local Football Facility Plan Coventry

Introduction

01

This is the Local Football Facility Plan (LFFP) for Coventry. It was prepared by Knight, Kavanagh and Page (KKP) with support from local partners, including:

  • Coventry City Council
  • Birmingham County Football Association
  • Football Foundation
  • Sport England

What is the goal?

Every local area in the Country will have a LFFP to enable investment in football facilities to be accurately targeted.

Who is behind this?

The Football Association, the Premier League and Sport England (on behalf of Government). This partnership finances the National Football Facility Strategy (NFFS) and commissions the Football Foundation to deliver it.

What is the purpose of this plan?

The national funding partners have significantly increased investment to accelerate efforts to deliver more and better football facilities for the grassroots game. The purpose of this plan is to identify the priority projects for potential investment in Coventry.

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Why invest in football facilities?

As the nation’s most popular team sport, football has the power to contribute positively to vital social outcomes and health priorities. To maximise this power, facilities have to be welcoming environments to attract first-time users and repeat visits, whether for informal, recreational or competitive football.

Research clearly and continually demonstrates the positive impact high-quality football facilities, in the right locations, can have on participation and enjoyment. Latent demand exists, but facility quantity and quality has to ‘step up’ if football is to reach out to everyone.

How are we going to do it?

£1.3billion has been spent by football and Government since 2000 to enhance existing football facilities and build new ones. However, more is needed if football and Government’s shared objectives for participation, individual well-being and community cohesion are to be achieved.

Nationally, direct investment will be increased – initially to £69 million per annum from football and Government (a 15% increase on recent years). Locally, the work has already started* - this LFFP will guide the allocation of 90% of national funds and forge stronger partnerships with local stakeholders to develop key sites. This, together with local match-funding will deliver over one billion pounds of investment into football facilities over the next ten years.

What are the priorities for investment?

This LFFP, with guidance from local partners, has developed a list of high level projects for potential investment. Each is aligned to the investment priorities set out in the National Football Facilities Strategy, which include:

  • 1,000 new 3G football turf pitches (FTPs): in a mix of sizes and settings, dependent upon local needs. All aimed at enhancing the quality of the playing experience.
  • 20,000 improved natural-turf pitches: to help address drop-off due to a poor playing experience.
  • 1,000 new changing pavilions / clubhouses: all linked to priority sites.
  • Small-sided facilities: to grow the small-sided game for teams & leagues, recreational and informal play.

What outcomes will be achieved?

The priority projects for potential investment identified in this plan will help develop a sustainable network of quality facilities to drive participation across all parts of the game. Central to this are five key success factors: quality, inclusivity, sustainability, engagement and usage. Each identified project takes account of these factors.

How should this plan be used?

This LFFP will, in effect, be the go-to document for football facility investment in Coventry.

Whilst it identifies priority projects for potential investment, it does not guarantee the success of future funding applications. Each project must still follow an application process to show how it will deliver key participation outcomes, become a quality & sustainable facility and demonstrate suitable match-funding.

When each project is in a position to proceed, the Football Foundation will determine a suitable timeframe to submit a grant application and pre-application support will be provided by Birmingham County FA and the Football Foundation.

Set a 10-Year vision to transform local football facilities
Identify priority projects to be delivered
Act as an investment portfolio for projects that require funding

How should this plan NOT be used?

A LFFP is an investment portfolio of priority projects for potential investment - it is not a detailed demand and supply analysis of all pitch provision in a local area. It cannot be used as a replacement for a Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) and it will not be accepted as an evidence base for site change of use or disposal.

A LFFP will however build on available/existing local evidence and strategic plans and may adopt relevant actions from a PPS and/or complement these with additional investment priorities.

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Coventry

02

Local area

Coventry is located in the West Midlands region.

The current population of the Authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 360,149. This is expected to rise to 456,897 by 2039.

35.3% of the Coventry population is within NS SEC classification 6-8 (lower socio-economic groups). This is higher than the national average of 30.6%.

Coventry’s ethnic composition is primarily White (73.8%) and this is lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Coventry’s population represented by the BAME community is 26.2%. This is above the national average (14.6%).

Demographics

  • 360,149 Current population (2017)
  • 456,897 Projected population (2039)
  • 6th most deprived out of 30 local authorities in the region
  • 59th most deprived out of 326 local authorities in England

Ethnicity data

  • Asian (16.28%)
  • Black (5.6%)
  • Mixed (2.6%)
  • Other (1.68%)
  • White (73.84%)
30%
30%
26%

% of people that are inactive

  • Coventry
  • Region
  • England

*ONS data and Sport England Active Lives Survey 2016/17

Local partners

Local Authority

The overarching vision of the Coventry Local Plan (2011-2031) is to make Coventry one of the top ten cities in England that is globally connected and locally committed.

It's objectives include:

  • Supporting businesses to grow
  • Enabling the right infrastructure for a city to grow and thrive
  • Developing a dynamic 21st century city centre
  • Raising the profile of Coventry
  • Creating an attractive, cleaner and greener city
  • Maintaining and enhancing an accessible transport network
  • Housing that meets the needs of all people
  • Improving the health and wellbeing of local residents
  • Supporting safer communities

The local authority has a Playing Pitch Strategy in place; which is currently being updated for 2018. Thus far, the research has identified future demand shortfalls of all formats of grass football pitches and four full-size 3G FTPs.

The PPS sits within the context of Coventry’s ten year Sports Strategy. This includes the following eight aims:

  • To inspire more people within the City to take up and regularly take part in sport
  • To provide a wide range of high quality and exciting sporting opportunities and experiences
  • To inspire more people to volunteer, coach and be facilitators of sport
  • To identify and support talented athletes to reach their sporting potential
  • To provide a range of modern, accessible and high quality sports facilities in the city
  • To attract high profile sporting events to the city and to celebrate sporting achievement
  • To grow and promote sport in the city through effective partnerships
  • For sport to make Coventry a better place to live, work and visit

County Football Association

Coventry is covered by Birmingham County FA which provides 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 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.

Football Foundation Investment

7 Total grants
  • £13,735,438 Total project cost
  • £2,380,918 Total grant value
  • 6 Sites improved
  • 3 New 3G FTPs
  • 5 Changing rooms / pavilions
  • 15 Grass pitches improved

*See Football Foundation website for more information: http://www.footballfoundation.org.uk/impact/where-our-money-goes

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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). Coventry City FC (Sky Blues in the Community) runs a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities within the local area.

Local leisure operator

Coventry has two key leisure operators. CV Life operates three sites, including Xcel Leisure Centre which has two small sided 3G FTPs and the Alan Higgs Centre (which includes a 3G FTP and grass pitches). The indoor 3G pitch at Alan Higgs is being converted into the City's new 50m pool. Coventry Sports Partnership operates three sites including Moat House Leisure and Neighbourhood Centre. This site includes a 3G FTP which is used extensively for affiliated training and recreational football.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Coventry. 13 individuals (representing 11 local organisations) were consulted. These include:

  • Coventy City Council
  • Coventry City FC (Sky Blues in the Community)
  • Coventry Boys & Girls Club

(See Appendix B for full list of consultees)

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Local football

Clubs

There are over 91,000 community football teams in England, spread over an expansive network of clubs and leagues. Coventry has a total of 396 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 Coventry, 12 clubs have more than ten registered teams. The largest of these (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

  • Christ The King FC - 31 teams
  • Coventry Sphinx FC - 24 teams
  • Coventry Copsewood FC - 23 teams
  • Coundon Court FC - 22 teams
  • Firefighters JFC - 19 teams
  • Coventrians FC - 17 teams
  • Coventry United – 15 teams
  • St Finbarrs - 15 teams
  • Chaplefields Colts FC – 15 teams
  • Hawkesmill JFC - 12 teams
  • Dunlop FC- 11 teams
  • Coventry Jaguar FC - 11 teams

Affiliated Teams

396 Teams
  • 101 Adult male teams
  • 5 Adult female teams
  • 168 Youth male teams
  • 6 Youth female teams
  • 0 Disability teams
  • 116 Mini-soccer teams

*The FA Whole Game System - Season 2017/18

Leagues

Six leagues operate in Coventry. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, youth and adults. While there are no specific league opportunities for disability within Coventry, there is however suitable provision provided in neighbouring Birmingham.

Coventry largest local leagues (2017-18) include:

  • Coventry & Warwickshire Youth League – 383 teams– home and away
  • Central Warwickshire Girls & Women’s – 149 teams– home and away
  • Coventry & Warwickshire U7/U8 – 97 teams– home and away

The County FA reports that there is no real issue with cross boundary migration due to Coventry teams playing outside of the city.

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 Coventry there are 20 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 runs regional centres and England national squads.

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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. Coventry has seven FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 15, Coventry’s number of female teams is lower than 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 Central Warwickshire Girls & Woman's League and matches are played on a home and away basis. The league is expected to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Birmingham County Woman’s League and matches are played on a home and away and the league is also expected to grow its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Aston Villa or Birmingham City Ladies which is located in Birmingham or Redditch. 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 Birmingham City Ladies which provides player pathway opportunities for gifted and talented female players and a spectator interest for fans.

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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.

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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 AT7, Coventry
  • Power League, Coventry

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 are currently no futsal teams in Coventry. It is a priority for the County FA to grow futsal for all players .

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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 are currently no FA Just Play Centres in Coventry. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Sky Blues in the Community. Walking football and Just Play are areas that the County FA has prioritised for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include Man v Fat which are delivered by a range of organisations including Man v Fat and Sky Blues in the Community.

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 Coventry is played across the city.

Summary

The key strengths of local football in Coventry include youth, mini and adult provision and it is recommend that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, there are aspects of football provision that lower than local authorities of a similar size, these include woman and girls, and recreational.

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

  1. Women & and girls
  2. Disability
  3. Recreational
  4. Futsal
  5. Wildcats Centres

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.

Assets and Opportunities

03

This section reviews existing football facility assets in Coventry. 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.

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3G Football Turf Pitches (FTPs)

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Improved Grass Pitches

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Changing room pavilions / clubhouses

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Small-sided facilities

3G Football Turf pitches (FTPs)

04

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.

The national ‘Mini Pitch’ programme delivers small 3G FTPs at primary school sites to provide a high quality introduction to football and get children more physically active. While mini pitches are reviewed in this section, they are not included in the demand and supply analysis for 3G FTPs.

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Assets and opportunities

FA data states that there are currently five 3G FTPs in Coventry; this is a shortfall of four pitches relative to assessed demand.

Existing full size 3G FTPs in Coventry include:

  • Alan Higgs Centre - 11v11
  • Moathouse Leisure & Neighbourhood Centre - 11v11
  • Sidney Stringer Academy - 11v11
  • University of Warwick (Westwood Campus) - 11v11
  • University of Warwick (Cryfield Campus) - 11v11*

*Located within Warwick but caters for Coventry residents in the South of the city.

Existing small sided 3G FTPs in Coventry include:

  • Alan Higgs Centre - 7v7 - indoor
  • Coventry Blue Coat School - youth 11v11
  • Daimler Green Community School - 5v5
  • Finham Park School - 5v5
  • Grace Academy - youth 11v11
  • Hereward College Sports Centre - 7v7
  • Jaguar Leisure Centre - 7v7
  • King Henry VIII School - 5v5
  • Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School - 5v5
  • Sphinx Sports & Social Club - 5v5
  • St Finbars Sports Ground - small sided 7v7

Additionally, there are currently two small-sided 3G FTP centres in Coventry:

  • Goals Soccer Centre (Centre At7)
  • Lucozade Power League Soccer Centre (Woodlands)

All of the pitches are available for community use, however, it has been identified that the two pitches at University of Warwick are primarily utilised by students with limited community access. It is recommend that community use opportunities are explored at the University of Warwick sites. Until such time as this has been resolved, these sites will be regarded as part of the local 3G FTP supply and demand stock. Four pitches (both University of Warwick pitches, Coventry Blue Coat School and Grace Academy) are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play). It is strongly recommend that the three remaining full size 3G FTPs are on the register to enable more match play on 3G.

The geographical spread of existing facilities is uneven; the majority are located in the centre, north east and south east of the city. There are provision gaps in the centre and west, despite high levels of population and it is recommended that these are addressed.


Local consultation reveals common issues with low availability and it is recommended that these are addressed.


Coventry has been successful in a Stage One Expression of Interest to the National Parklife Funding Programme. If the programme is considered financially viable and sustainable, it could result in large changes to provision, with more 3G pitches being developed.

If the Coventry Parklife programme does not progress, there is still a need to build develop additional 3G pitches in the City and for these to be sustainable.

5 Current 3G FTPs
4 More 3G FTPs required
1 More small-sided 3G FTPs required

Priority projects

Four priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Undersupply was calculated using the FA 3G FTP demand and supply model. Each site was selected by local partners based on a rationale of good access, high population, geographical spread, success and quality of existing facilities, high levels of deprivation, and high levels of lower social economic groups :


1 - new FA Parklife football hub (west of the city, exact site TBC) - two new 11v11 floodlit 3G FTPs

  • Existing facilities: N/A.
  • Current users: N/A.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, BAME participation, women & girls, informal/recreational football, over 50s participation.



2 - President Kennedy School - new 11v11 floodlit 3G FTPs

  • Existing facilities: four full size grass pitches with standard quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: two affiliated teams; 1680 Rainbow Inn and Unicorn Social.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, BAME participation, women & girls, informal/recreational football, over 50s participation.


3 - Alvis Sports & Social Club - new 11v11 floodlit 3G FTPs

  • Existing facilities: one full size, one junior and one mini grass pitches with inadequate changing facilities.
  • Current users: 26 affiliated teams from Alvis Junior FC. Please note that the site straddles the boundary between Coventry and Warwick and from a planning perspective will be considered by Warwick DC. However, the site caters for Coventry residents and has been included in the 2018 PPS update.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, BAME participation, women & girls, informal/recreational football, over 50s participation.


14 - Coventry Boys & Girls Club - new 5v5 floodlit 3G FTPs

  • Existing facilities: N/A
  • Current users: current site utilised by children attending club and also recreational football users.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; BAME participation, informal/recreational football.

3G Football Turf pitches (FTPs)

Pitchfinder

Improved Grass Pitches

05

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 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.

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.

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Assets and opportunities

PitchFinder and PPS Data indicates that there are currently 26 grass pitch sites in Coventry with three or more full-size pitch equivalents containing 136 grass pitches.

Of these sites, two are considered to have good quality pitches, 21 are of standard quality and three poor quality.

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

26 Key grass pitch sites
9 Sites prioritised for improvement
36 Full-sized pitch equivalents at these sites

Priority projects

Nine priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Six of these sites have three or more full-size pitch equivalents. The steering group decided to include three sites which have two full-size pitch equivalents due to their strategic significance for football . Due to the significant number of grass pitch sites in Coventry local partners did not select all sites and prioritised only nine, containing 36 full-size pitch equivalents. The prioritisation was informed by local partners with the rationale of selecting sites that were most well utilised and of the highest strategic importance for affiliated football in Coventry:


4 - Holbrooks Park - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: three full size and two junior grass pitches with standard quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: 19 teams from Coventrians FC.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.

5 - Coventry Colliery Sports Ground - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: two full size grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: six teams from clubs including; Coundon Court FC (ladies team), Coventry Colliery FC, Kings Social FC. Coventrians FC have recently taken on the site on a short term lease arrangement with potential to extend, potential for site to be enhanced in the future.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.

6 - Sowe Common Sports Ground - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: five full size and two junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: six teams from clubs including; Athletic United and Boat Inn. If this site is improved it has potential to become a key hub for open age male affiliated football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.

7 - Coundon Court School - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: three full size and two junior grass pitches with standard quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: 13 teams from Coundon Court FC.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, women & girls.


8 - Copsewood Grange Golf Club (Copsewood Sports & Social Club) - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: three full size and one junior grass pitches with standard quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: 28 teams from clubs including; Copsewood (Coventry), Coventry Copsewood FC, and Meredith Road Baptist Church.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.


9 - Bablake School STPS - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: One full size and one junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities. The site also includes two full sized sand based AGPs.
  • Current users: 29 teams from Christ the King FC. Sand based AGPs are utilised for affiliated training and recreational football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.


10 - Wheelwright Playing Fields (Christ the King FC) - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: two full size grass pitches with good quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: three teams from Chris the King FC. Please note the site straddles the border between Coventry and Nuneaton & Bedworth and will be considered by the NBBC planning department. However, the site caters for demand from Coventry residents.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; senior football, women & girls.


11 - Westwood Heath Playing Fields - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: four full size and one junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: 21 teams from clubs including; Chapelfields Colts, Coventry United Juniors, Coventry United Ladies, Village Hotel and Wallace FC.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.


12 - Sphinx Sports and Social Club (Coventry Sphinx FC) - works to natural grass pitches

  • Existing facilities: four full size and one junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: 27 teams from Coventry Sphinx FC (including one ladies team).
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.

Improved Grass Pitches

Pitchfinder

Changing room pavilions / clubhouses

06

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.

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Assets and opportunities

Of the 26 key sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents in Coventry, 23 have suitable changing room pavilions/clubhouses and three have facilities that need improvement/ replacement.

The steering group also decided to include three sites with two full size pitch equivalents which are strategically important for football in Coventry. Please note that the Alvis Sports & Social site straddles the boundary between Coventry and Warwick and from a planning perspective will be considered by Warwick DC. However, the site caters for Coventry residents and has been included in the 2018 PPS update.

23 Key sites have suitable changing rooms/pavilions/ clubhouses
6 Require improvement / replacement
0 Have no facilities and require new builds

Priority projects

Six priority projects for potential investment have therefore been identified. Each project was deemed to have an unsuitable pavilion:

3 - Alvis Sports & Social Club - refurbish changing pavilion

  • Existing facilities: one full size, one junior and one mini grass pitches with inadequate changing facilities.
  • Current users: 26 affiliated teams from Alvis Junior FC. Current changing provision is inadequate for number of users at site, this will be especially prevalent if potential 3G FTP development takes place.
  • Rationale: Participation growth in; junior football, senior football, BAME participation, women & girls, informal/recreational football, over 50s participation.

5 - Coventry Colliery Sports Ground - refurbish changing pavilion

  • Existing facilities: two full size grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: six teams from clubs including; Coundon Court FC (ladies team), Coventry Colliery FC, Kings Social FC. Coventrians FC have recently taken on the site on a short term lease arrangement with potential to extend, potentially for site to be enhanced in the future.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.


6 - Sowe Common Sports Ground - refurbish changing pavilion

  • Existing facilities: five full size and two junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: six teams from clubs including; Athletic United and Boat Inn. If this site is improved it has potential to become a key hub for open age male affiliated football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.


9 - Bablake School STPS - refurbish changing pavilion

  • Existing facilities: One full size and one junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities. The site also includes two full sized sand based AGPs.
  • Current users: 29 teams from Christ the King FC. Sand based AGPs are utilised for affiliated training and recreational football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.

12 - Sphinx Sports and Social Club (Coventry Sphinx FC) - refurbish changing pavilion

  • Existing facilities: four full size and one junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: 27 teams from Coventry Sphinx FC (including one ladies team)
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.

13 - Westwood United FC - refurbish changing pavilion

  • Existing facilities: four full size and one junior grass pitches with poor quality changing facilities.
  • Current users: 12 teams from Coventry Sporting FC.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; junior football, senior football, women & girls.

Changing room pavilions / clubhouses

Pitchfinder

Small-sided facilities

07

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.

Small sided 2

Priority projects

1 Better indoor spaces
6 MUGAs
3 Better parks / open green spaces

Indoor

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

14 - Coventry Boys & Girls Club - refurbish indoor football facility (Futsal line markings and equipment bank)

  • Existing facilities: N/A new facility under development.
  • Current users: current site utilised by children attending the club and also recreational football users. Identified potential link with Coventry Futsal Club - the club has enquired about using the planned sports hall for Futsal.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; BAME participation, informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

Indoor

Pitchfinder

Multi-use Games Areas (MUGAs)

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

4 - Holbrooks Park - upgrade MUGA

  • Existing facilities: three full size and two junior grass pitches with standard quality changing facilities. There is also a single court MUGA on site, court is in a poor condition.
  • Current users: 19 teams from Coventrians FC. MUGA used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

15 - Longford Park - upgrade MUGA

  • Existing facilities: floodlit double court MUGA; one tarmac, one synthetic. Courts are in a poor condition.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: Participation growth in; BAME participation, informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

16 - Eagle Street Play Area - upgrade MUGA

  • Existing facilities: floodlit single tarmac court MUGA. Court is in a poor condition.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: Participation growth in; BAME participation, informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.


17 - Caludon Castle Park - upgrade MUGA

  • Existing facilities: floodlit double court MUGA; one tarmac, one synthetic. Courts are in a poor condition.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: Participation growth in; informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

18 - Redhouse Park - upgrade MUGA

  • Existing facilities: single court MUGA. Court is in a poor condition.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: Participation growth in; informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

19 - Hillsfield Young Peoples Centre - upgrade MUGA

  • Existing facilities: single court MUGA. Court is in a poor condition.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: Participation growth in; informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

Parks and open green spaces

Following local consultation, three locations have 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:

20 - Barras Heath Park - informal football provision

  • Existing facilities: mini goal posts in dilapidated condition.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

21 - Ainsdale Close - informal football provision

  • Existing facilities: mini goal posts in dilapidated condition.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

22 - Humber Rec - informal football provision

  • Existing facilities: none.
  • Current users: site used for recreational/informal football.
  • Rationale: participation growth in; informal/recreational football, lower-socio economic groups.

Multi-use Games Areas (MUGAs) and Parks & open green spaces

Pitchfinder

Appendix A: Priority Project List

08

This list compiles all of the priority projects for potential investment. Each project has been scored against two principle factors: deliverability and outcomes (quality, inclusivity, sustainability, engagement and usage).

The list will be used flexibly; a projects ‘rating’ does not determine the exact order that it will progress to a funding application to the Football Foundation as we understand there are many factors that influence this. The process for moving a project from this list and into the ‘pre-application stage’ will be managed by the Football Foundation.

1

1 - new Parklife hub site (site TBD)

Location

Location details: Site TBC

Facilities
  • New 11v11 Floodlit 3G FTP (2)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

4.0/4

Overall score

92% (11.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult female; Adult male; BAME; Disability; Mini-soccer; Small-sided recreational; Small-sided teams and leagues; Youth female; Youth male

2

2 - President Kennedy School

Location

PRESIDENT KENNEDY SCHOOL ROOKERY LANE, COVENTRY, , CV6 4GL

Facilities
  • New 11v11 Floodlit 3G FTP (1)
Owner

Education

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

4.0/4

Overall score

92% (11.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult female; Adult male; BAME; Mini-soccer; Small-sided recreational; Small-sided teams and leagues; Youth female; Youth male

3

3 - Alvis Sports & Social Club

Location

ALVIS SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB GREEN LANE, COVENTRY, , CV3 6EG

Facilities
  • New 11v11 Floodlit 3G FTP (1)
  • Refurbish Changing Pavilion (1)
Owner

Other

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

4.0/4

Overall score

92% (11.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult female; Adult male; BAME; Mini-soccer; Small-sided recreational; Small-sided teams and leagues; Youth female; Youth male

14

14 - Coventry Boys & Girls club

Location

COVENTRY BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WHITEFRIARS LANE, COVENTRY, , CV1 2DT

Facilities
  • New 5v5 Floodlit 3G FTP (1)
  • New Indoor Football Facility (1)
Owner

Other

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.9/4

Overall score

82% (9.9/12)

Project Focus

Disability; IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal; Small-sided recreational; Small-sided teams and leagues

4

4 - Holbrooks Park

Location

HOLBROOKS PARK Holbrook Lane, Coventry, , CV6 4BY

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (3)
  • Small sided informal (MUGA) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.2/4

Overall score

79% (9.4/12)

Project Focus

Adult female; Adult male; BAME; IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal; Small-sided recreational; Youth female; Youth male

8

8 - Copsewood Grange Golf Club (Copsewood Sports & Social Club)

Location

COPSEWOOD GRANGE GOLF CLUB ALLARD WAY, COVENTRY, , CV3 1JP

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (4)
Owner

Football club

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.2/4

Overall score

79% (9.4/12)

Project Focus

Adult male; Mini-soccer; Youth female; Youth male

10

10 - Wheelwright Playing Fields (Christ the King FC)

Location

WHEELWRIGHT LANE FIELDS WINDING HOUSE LANE, ASH GREEN, COVENTRY, , CV7 9HS

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (2)
Owner

Football club

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

75% (9.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult female; Adult male; Mini-soccer; Youth male

12

12 - Sphinx Sports & Social Club

Location

SPHINX SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB Sphinx Drive, Coventry, , CV3 1WA

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (5)
  • Refurbish Changing Pavilion (1)
Owner

Football club

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

75% (9.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult male; Mini-soccer; Youth female; Youth male

13

13 - Westwood United FC

Location

WESTWOOD UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB WESTWOOD HEATH ROAD, COVENTRY, , CV4 8GP

Facilities
  • Refurbish Changing Pavilion (1)
Owner

Football club

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

75% (9.0/12)

Project Focus

Youth female; Youth male

15

15 - Longford Park

Location

LONGFORD PARK LONGFORD ROAD, LONGFORD, COVENTRY, , CV6 6DW

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (MUGA) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

High (3/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.9/4

Overall score

73% (8.8/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

5

5 - Coventry Colliery Sports Ground

Location

COVENTRY COLLIERY SPORTS GROUND BENNETTS ROAD, COVENTRY ROAD, , CV7 8JY

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (2)
  • Refurbish Changing Pavilion (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

67% (8.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult male; Youth female; Youth male

7

7 - Coundon Court School

Location

COUNDON COURT SCHOOL Northbrook Road, Coventry, , CV6 2AJ

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (5)
Owner

Education

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

67% (8.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult female; Adult male; Disability; Youth female; Youth male

9

9 - Bablake School STPS (Christ the King FC)

Location

BABLAKE SCHOOL STPS 67 DUNCROFT AVENUE, COVENTRY, , CV6 2BX

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (2)
  • Refurbish Changing Pavilion (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

67% (8.0/12)

Project Focus

Adult male; Mini-soccer; Youth female; Youth male

11

11 - Westwood Heath Playing Fields

Location

WESTWOOD HEATH PLAYING FIELDS WESTWOOD HEATH ROAD , COVENTRY, , CV4 8GP

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (5)
  • Refurbish Changing Pavilion (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

67% (8.0/12)

Project Focus

Mini-soccer; Youth female; Youth male

19

19 - Hillsfield Young Peoples Centre

Location

HILLFIELD YOUNG PEOPLES CENTRE YARDLEY STREET, COVENTRY, , CV1 5JN

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (MUGA) (1)
Owner

Other

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

3.0/4

Overall score

67% (8.0/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

18

18 - Redhouse Park

Location

RED HOUSE PARK FOLESHILL, COVENTRY, , CV6 5DG

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (MUGA) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.9/4

Overall score

65% (7.8/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

20

20 - Barras Heath Park

Location

BARRAS HEATH PARK MERCER AVENUE, COVENTRY, , CV2 4RD

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (Park) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.9/4

Overall score

65% (7.8/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

22

22 - Humber Rec

Location

HUMBER REC HUMBER AVE, COVENTRY, , CV3 1AY

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (Park) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.9/4

Overall score

65% (7.8/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

6

6 - Sowe Common Sports Ground

Location

SOWE COMMON SPORTS GROUND Woodway Lane, Coventry, , CV2 2AF

Facilities
  • Natural grass pitch improvements (7)
  • Refurbish Changing Pavilion (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.8/4

Overall score

63% (7.6/12)

Project Focus

Adult male; Youth male

16

16 - Eagle Street Play Area

Location

EAGLE STREET PLAY AREA EAGLE STREET, COVENTRY, , CV1 4GY

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (MUGA) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.8/4

Overall score

63% (7.5/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

17

17 - Caludon Castle Park

Location

CALUDON CASTLE PARK FARREN ROAD, COVENTRY, , CV2 5EH

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (MUGA) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.8/4

Overall score

63% (7.5/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

21

21 - Ainsdale Close (open space)

Location

AINSDALE CLOSE (open space) AINSDALE CLOSE, COVENTRY, , CV6 6JJ

Facilities
  • Small sided informal (Park) (1)
Owner

Local Authority

Deliverability score

Medium (2/4)

NFFS outcome score

2.7/4

Overall score

61% (7.3/12)

Project Focus

IMD / lower social economic groups; Small-sided informal

A project's overall score provides an indication of its potential outcomes and deliverability only (weighted twice as much towards the outcomes score). It does not impact the likelihood or level of any potential investment.

Appendix B: Consultation List

09

  • Development Manager Facilities, Capital Programmes and Contracts - Coventry City Council
  • Development Manager, Sports and Arts Team - Coventry City Council
  • Facility & Investment Lead - Birmingham County Football Association
  • Head of Community - Sky Blues in the Community (Coventry City FC)
  • Health & Sport Programmes Officer - Positive Youth Foundation
  • Manager - Coventry Boys & Girls Club
  • Parks Manager- Coventry City Council
  • Secretary - Christ the King FC
  • Secretary - Coundon Court FC
  • Secretary - Coventry Copsewood Junior FC
  • Secretary - Coventrians Youth
  • Secretary - Coventry & Warwickshire Youth League
  • Secretary - Firefighters JFC

Survey responses were received from the following affiliated clubs:

  • Athletic United JFC
  • Coventrians FC
  • Coventry Copsewood FC
  • Coventry Saracens JFC
  • Coventry Saracens Teamrossy FC
  • Coventry Sphinx FC
  • Firefighters JFC
  • Jaguar/Daimler FC
  • Shcc FC

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