Local Football Facility Plan Ealing

Demographics for the area can be seen below:

Local authority

Ealing has a Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) in place; this was completed in 2022 and is to be regularly monitored and updated by the local authority and relevant stakeholders. The key findings and stated overarching priorities are:

• There is sufficient overall supply of adult grass pitches to meet demand, however some shortfalls remain for youth and mini soccer.
• Several grass pitch sites are rated as poor or standard, with poor natural drainage a challenge at a number of locations.
• There is a requirement for improvements to a number of pavilions to better cater to growth, particularly for women and girls' football.
• Demand for facilities is expected to grow substantially to 2031 due to population increases and growth aspirations of local football clubs, increasing pressure on the existing supply.

Delivering against the actions of the PPS, and the priorities identified in this Local Football Facility Plan, supports the work of Ealing's Health and Wellbeing Strategy to improve outcomes for Ealing residents.

County Football Association

Ealing is predominantly covered by Middlesex County FA, however some clubs affiliate to either London FA or Amateur FA. The County FAs provide 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 Delivery 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. The Regional Facility Planning Manager (FPM) will lead and be responsible for all aspects of strategic planning and will lead on refreshing of LFFPs.

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 are two active CCOs in Ealing who deliver a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities; Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, and QPR in the Community Trust.

Local leisure operator

Everyone Active is the leisure operator in Ealing. It currently runs seven key sites including Elthorne Sports Centre, Acton Centre, Greenford Sports Centre, Northolt Leisure Centre, Reynolds Sports Centre, Swift Road Outdoor Sports Centre and Twyford Sports Centre - providing a broad range of indoor and outdoor leisure provision. Furthermore, Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub is managed by Better on behalf of Ealing and Hounslow Councils.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Ealing. The agencies consulted include:

• Ealing Council
• Middlesex County FA
• London FA
• Amateur FA
• London Sport
• Brentford FC Community Sports Trust
• QPR in the Community Trust
• Local football clubs
• National Governing Bodies of sport, including:
  • England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
  • Middlesex Cricket
  • England Hockey
  • The Rugby Football Union (RFU)
  • The Rugby Football League (RFL)

Local consultation took place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in the original LFFP. As part of the refresh process a survey was sent via the County FA to all football clubs in the area. Furthermore, it is a requirement that all projects that move through to application phase undertake detailed community engagement to ensure that facilities fully serve the communities they are being designed for.

Clubs

There are over 91,000 community football teams in England, spread over an expansive network of clubs and leagues. Ealing has a total of 435 teams.

Survive. Revive. Thrive is the FA Grassroots Football Strategy 2020-2024. To deliver the goals for male and female football, there must be a vibrant, best-in-class club network around the country. The FA will work to encourage as many clubs as possible to achieve FA-Accredited status, assuring quality in everything they offer, including ever-safer and stronger player pathways. This will be coupled with a commitment to improve the quality of thousands of pitches up and down the country, with a particular focus on grass pitches.

Over the last 10-years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In Ealing, 12 clubs have more than 10 registered teams. These (based upon 2022-23 affiliation data) are:

• FC Starz - 29 teams
• Cademy - 24 teams
• Acton Ealing Whistlers Youth - 22 teams
• Hanwell Town Youth - 22 teams
• Inve3ntive FC - 21 teams
• Northfield United FC - 21 teams
• Pitshanger - 19 teams
• Elite London FC - 13 teams
• Celtic - 12 teams
• CS Rangers - 12 teams
• Larkspur Rovers Youth - 12 teams
• The Eight FC - 12 teams

Leagues

Ten leagues operate in Ealing. 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 within Ealing, suitable provision is made in neighbouring Hillingdon.

Ealing's largest local leagues (2022-23) include:

• Harrow Soccer Combination – 118 teams – home and away
• Harrow Youth Football League – 92 teams – home and away
• Middlesex Youth Football League – 39 teams – home and away
• Junior Premier League – 35 teams – home and away
• Middlesex County Football League – 23 teams – home and away
• Capital Girls League – 22 teams – home and away

The County FA reports that there is low level cross boundary migration to/from Ealing.

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 Ealing there are four football teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability - including Pitshanger FC, Brentford Penguins, QPR in the Community, and Belvue School. 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 had big ambitions for women and girls' football and managed to double levels of participation between 2017 and 2020. To achieve this required a combined effort across four pathways: education, recreation, competition and talent. Despite achieving this ambitious target more places to play are still required for women and girls. The focus now is to give all girls equal access to football by 2024 and this will be a key objective of any facility investment. The FA’s four-year strategy, titled Inspiring Positive Change, pledges to create a sustainable future for women’s and girls’ football in England. The strategy outlines eight transformational objectives to be achieved by 2024, the following across grassroots football: -

• Early Participation – Every primary school-aged girl to have equal access to football in school and in clubs.
• Development Participation – Every girl to have equal access to participate for fun, for competition and for excellence.
• Club Player Pathway – Collaborate with clubs to develop an effective high-performance, inclusive player-centred pathway.
• Football For All – Recruit and support a motivated, diverse range of local leaders organising football for their communities.
• Coaching – Support the development of exceptional coaches at every level of the game who are representative of our society.
• Refereeing – Ensure that every female referee afforded high-quality bespoke learning and development opportunities from grassroots through to the elite game.

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. Ealing has seven FA Wildcats girls football centres distributed across the authority, these currently take place at:

• Alec Reed Academy Sports Centre
• Club Des Sports
• Featherstone Sports Centre
• Fox Wood Nature Reserve
• Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub
• Lard Halsbury Playing Fields
• Rectory Park

For girls aged 12-14, Squad Girls programmes provide an opportunity to continue participation and increase engagement to support the girls' game. Programmes are currently delivered at:

• Boddington Gardens (Old Actonians)
• Club Des Sports
• Fox Wood Nature Reserve
• Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub
• Lord Halsbury Playing Fields
• Norwood Hall Playing Fields
• Rectory Park

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 Capital 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 Greater London Women's Football League in which matches are also played on a home and away basis. It too is expected to grow its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Chelsea FC which is located in Cobham. 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 Chelsea Women's FC 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 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. In Ealing, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust deliver a small sided league at Gunnersbury Park Sports Hub.

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 two FA Just Play centres in Ealing. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisations such as Brentford Emperor Prenguins. Walking football and Just Play are County FA priorities for further growth and development.

The key strengths of local football in Ealing include the growth in affiliated team numbers, delivery of multiple FA Wildcats centres, and both Just Play and Squad Centre provision. It is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. The FA have identified significant potential for further growth of provision for women and girls to meet growing demand.

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

1. Growth of FA Wildcats provision
2. Further development of FA Just Play and Squad Centres
3. Increasing women and girls' participation in both affiliated and recreational football
4. Providing greater participation opportunities for people with a disability
5. Retaining young participants who are transitioning into adult football
6. Offering a range of flexible football opportunities for male and female players

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. 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
• Off pitch and ancillary facilities (e.g. toilets, changing rooms, catering)
• 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 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.

Existing full-sized (11 v 11) 3G FTPs in Ealing include:

• Alec Reed Academy
• Cardinal Wiseman High School
• Club des Sports (two pitches)
• Featherstone High School
• Gunnersbuy Park Sports Hub (two pitches)
• Northolt High School
• Rectory Park (two pitches)
• Spikes Bridge Sports Ground
• Trailfinders Sports Club
• William Perkin High School

Additionally, there are currently ten small-sided 3G FTP centres in Ealing:

• Brentside High School (9v9)
• Club des Sports (one 9v9 and two 5v5 pitches)
• Drayton Manor High School (5v5)
• King Fahad Academy (two 5v5 pitches)
• Lammas Park (two 5v5 pitches)
• Larkspur Rovers Lord Halsbury (7v7)
• North Acton Playing Field (5v5)
• Pitshanger Park (5v5)
• Swift Road Outdoor Sports Centre (9v9)
• Trailfinders Sports Club (5v5)

12 pitches are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play). It is strongly recommended that the remaining pitches are assessed and placed on the Register.

Ealing has a PPS undertaken in 2022. The PPS indicates there is sufficient demand of 3G FTPs based on the 307 affiliated teams utilising nine full size 3G pitches (with one pitch at Gunnersbury Park discounted due to the partnership with Hounslow, the Trailfinders full size pitch being discounted due to rugby use, and Cardinal Wiseman providing minimal community use).

Affiliation data for the 2022/23 season shows a significant growth in the number of football teams since the data in the PPS, with 435 teams now registered. The FA training ratio model of 1:38 would suggest 11.5 pitches are required to cater to the current number of clubs, therefore leaving a shortfall of 2.5 full-sized pitch equivalents.

With the redevelopment of Warren Farm Sports Ground as a key strategic multi-pitch sports site, this is considered the preferred location for 3G provision to address the shortfall.

In addition, consultation undertaken in the development of the LFFP reveals multiple large clubs unable to access sufficient space on 3G pitches, the majority of teams being youth teams. Several clubs are identified as using pitches which are overplayed or at capacity, and lacking access to alternative training space to alleviate pressure on grass pitches.

Further small-sided provision located at or near club sites should be prioritised to address the reported challenges, particularly in the north and east of the authority.

The FA has seen unprecedented growth over the last five years, particularly in the youth and women & girls game. Overall participation is estimated to grow year on year, equating to an additional 177 teams in the local authority by 2030, of which 48 will come from women and girls. This could represent the equivalent of up to five additional 11v11 3G FTPs.

Allowances will be made for in the LFFP for ancillary provision for each pitch if needed, however this is subject to the final agreed location of any additional future provision and an assessment as to whether there are existing suitable facilities available. This is displayed as a future participation growth project below.

Three priority projects for potential investment are identified. These were selected based upon the age and condition of the facilities, which are key to local football delivery due to existing programmes of use.

The inclusion of two small-sided facilities alongside the two full pitches marginally exceeds the 2.5 shortfall identified, however as expressed via the PPS and the LFFP consultation, high growth and demand is recorded within youth age groups, and as such peak demand (pre-8pm) is in excess of the capacity provided by one small pitch. Despite exceeding the shortfall, each project identified will be required to demonstrate that a full, sustainable programme of use can be delivered to ensure the demand is present to deliver a viable facility.

The Football Foundation is on a mission to transform the quality of grass football pitches across England, because great facilities enhance physical and mental wellbeing, strengthen communities and empower people. The quality of football pitches is a huge issue for community football; 150,000 matches were postponed due to poor pitches during the last full football season. We are therefore on a mission to improve 20,000 grass pitches across England.

The Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund is a £21m fund that provides eligible clubs and leagues with a tapered six-year grant to help them sustain pitches already at a 'good' level and enhance pitches that are either considered 'poor' or 'basic'. In order to be eligible, clubs and leagues must use the PitchPower app to assess their pitches. This provides a detailed assessment report with recommendations on improving the quality of grass pitches. The PitchPower app is available to all pitch owners as a way to assess grass pitch quality and gain access to grass pitch improvement recommendations. See Football Foundation | PitchPower

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.

Through the use of PitchPower we are able to identify the demand for investment into new or additional machinery and equipment and see this as an important step towards sustainability for the voluntary sector. Ensuring clubs and leagues can maintain their own sites, supplemented by contracted out major works (e.g. aeration) is potentially a more cost effective approach in the long term.

While the education sector (23.8%) and local authorities (51.8%) are still the principal asset owners of grass pitches and have the heaviest reliance for affiliated matches, clubs / leagues own or maintain an increasing share and we will continue to prioritise investment into sites that are maintained by clubs or leagues.

PitchPower has allowed all club owned and leased sites to apply for funding to improve grass pitch maintenance. In Ealing, four eligible sites have received funding:

• Reynolds Field (Hanwell Town FC)
• Lord Halsbury Playing Field (Larkspur Rovers)
• Osterley Sports Ground (Concorde Rangers FC)
• Fox Wood Nature Reserve (Acton Ealing Whistlers).

Ealing Central Sports Ground was previously highlighted as a pitch improvement project and has since benefited from a soil importation scheme to improve pitch quality.

The aim now should be to get these pitches up to the 'good' standard and work to sustain them.

Remaining club owned and leased sites should be prioritised to undertake PitchPower assessments with a view to securing Grass Pitch Maintenance Funding. These are:

• Brentham Sports Club (Brentham Sports FC)
• West Ealing Bowls Club (Ealing United)

There is a need to also consider local authority and school sites (in community use) that require improvements and agree sustainable solutions for pitch maintenance going forward. The first step is to ensure that all pitches have a baseline quality assessment done via PitchPower.

The PPS identifies Blondin Park as a priority site for improvement to better accommodate football.

Furthermore, the following facilities are identified as potential priorities for reinstating formal playing field provision:

• Marnham's Field
• Warren Farm Sports Ground

Notably, the Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) for Ealing references the need for a stadia pitch locally. Such provision sits outside the scope of the LFFP, which prioritises grassroots provision, and is therefore not identified as a priority project. This is not a reflection of the need for such facility in the borough, which should be driven by the content of the PPS.

Five priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by PitchPower (or the PPS and ratified by local partners where PitchPower data isn't available). Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites that are well utilised, and identified as requiring improvement.

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 24 key grass pitch sites in Ealing with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three but deemed to be of strategic importance), 14 sites have suitable changing rooms, whilst nine sites require improvement/replacement.

In addition, three potential new grass pitch sites - Marnham's Field, Elthorne Waterside, and Warren Farm Sports Ground - would require ancillary provision if pitches were established in the future.

Of the changing room projects identified in the previous LFFP, Osterley Sports Ground and Southfield Recreation Ground remain on the list.

12 priority projects for potential 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, the audiences and the various facility types they relate to.

Research suggests that small-sided players in teams and leagues, and in organised 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.

Whilst our priorities will always be football led, we believe Small sided facilities provide a good opportunity to collaborate with other sports to deliver high quality spaces for people to play recreational sport. This will be achieved via our PlayZones Programme:

Football Foundation PlayZone Programme

PlayZones are modern, safe, and engaging facilities that are designed for recreational football and at least one other sport. There are a range of facility types to meet the needs of different sports.

Through this programme we want to address stubborn inequalities in activity levels and access to sports facilities within four priority groups:

• Lower socio-economic groups
• Women and girls
• Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions
• Ethnically diverse communities

Our research also shows us that when it comes to small sided facilities one size does not fit all and localised design and ownership will yield the greatest engagement from under represented groups. Activation is also as important as the facility itself for these groups. This section of the LFFP will concentrate on suitable places for PlayZones.

Suitable places will be identified through a combination of mapping, to include identification of our priority groups and crossover with other multi-sport priorities. Further community engagement will be required for design and delivery. Where some engagement has already been carried out projects will appear in the project list.

All projects will then need to be developed by a cross sector consortium where partners who understand and represent the people and the place come together to drive the project forward and create access and opportunities for priority groups.

Our research shows us that community engagement is the key to developing great small sided facilities and that we shouldn't try and identify sites without first identifying two key things:

• Key priority places within the local authority
• Key priority groups within the local authority

Once these two things are identified local community engagement is required to identify potential sites for investment. In Ealing the starting point for priority places, identified through steering group engagement and feedback from both the local authority and Active Partnership are:

• Acton
• Southall
• Northolt

The key priority groups in Ealing are:

• Lower socio-economic groups
• Women and girls
• Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions
• Ethnically diverse communities

Opportunities to support multi-sport activity which include cricket have been specifically highlighted, due to popularity locally.

This priority group of places and people will be ratified throughout the process and the next step is to now begin community engagement to help identify where the specific sites are that will help to tackle inequalities and provide spaces for activity.

A range of local agencies and local football clubs were invited to participate in the LFFP consultation. Those that contributed are listed below:

• Ealing Council
• Middlesex County FA
• London FA
• Amateur FA
• London Sport
• Brentford FC Community Sports Trust
• QPR in the Community Trust
• National Governing Bodies of sport, including:
  • England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)
  • Middlesex Cricket
  • England Hockey
  • The Rugby Football Union (RFU)
  • The Rugby Football League (RFL)
• Abbey FC
• Acton Ealing Whistlers Youth FC
• Actonian Ladies FC
• Celtic FC
• Ealing United FC
• FC Starz
• Hanwell Town FC
• Little Tigers FC
• London Elite Youth Futsal FC
• Northfields United FC
• North Greenford United FC
• Pitshanger FC