Local Football Facility Plan East Hertfordshire

East Hertfordshire is in the South East Region.

The current population of the Authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 147,080. This is expected to rise to 172,001 by 2039.

East Hertfordshire is ranked 46 out of 47 LAs in the region, and 315 out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

East Hertfordshire's ethnic composition is primarily white (95.5%). This is higher than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of East Hertfordshire’s population represented by the BAME community is 4.5%. This is below the national average (14.6%).

Local Authority

East Hertfordshire Council’s Corporate Strategic Plan (2016/17 – 2019/20) sets out its priorities to ensure that the best possible services are delivered for residents, partners and businesses.These are:

• Priority 1: Improve the health and wellbeing of our communities
• Priority 2: Enhance the quality of people’s lives
• Priority 3: Enable a flourishing local economy

To achieve Priority 1, the Council is committed to invest in leisure centres, parks and open spaces to encourage health, fitness and biodiversity including planned improvements to Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre, Hartham Common and Presdales Recreation Ground.

The Authority Playing Pitch Strategy was adopted in 2017. It notes the two full-sized 3G FTPs and indicates a shortfall of 10 full sized 3G FTP facilities based upon the FA’s one pitch per 42 teams’ training demand model. The Strategy also suggests that there is a current shortfall of youth grass pitches which will be exacerbated by future population growth.

County Football Association

East Hertfordshire is covered by the Hertfordshire 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). Stevenage FC Foundation delivers a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities within the local area.

Local leisure operator

Everyone Active is the key leisure operator in East Hertfordshire. It currently operates three key sites including Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre, Hartham Leisure Centre and Wodson Park Leisure Centre. There is currently 3G FTP provision at both Wodson Park (full sized) and Hartham Leisure Centre (60x40 FTP) and it is proposed there will be a full sized 3G FTP at the Grange Paddock, resulting in provision at all three centres. It is anticipated that the pitch at Grange Paddock will be available by September 2020.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in East Hertfordshire. 16 individuals (representing 16 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• East Hertfordshire Council
• A range of football clubs- see Appendix B

(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. East Hertfordshire has a total of 358 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 10-years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In East Hertfordshire, 14 clubs have more than 10 registered teams. These are listed below (based upon 2018-19 affiliation data):

• Bengeo Tigers - 27 teams
• Bishop's Stortford FC- 14 teams
• Bishop's Stortford Swifts -11 teams
• BSC FC - 77 teams
• Buntingford Cougars - 27 teams
• Bury Rangers - 50 teams
• Hertford Town - 27 teams
• Meninas Football Club - 14 teams
• Sawbridgeworth Town - 14 teams
• Ware FC - 26 teams
• Ware Lions- 17 teams
• Ware Youth- 35 teams
• Wodson Park - 18 teams
• Watton Youth FC - 10 teams

Leagues

19 leagues cater for clubs and teams in Hertfordshire. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including girls, disability, youth and adults. There are suitable arrangements for the provision of women’s football through a combined county Bedfordshire & Hertfordshire Women’s League that hosts 20 Hertfordshire teams. The leagues which operate across the county are:

• East Herts Corinthian League – 57 teams– home and away fixtures on a Sunday morning.
• Escolla Junior League – 4 teams–Futsal League
• Garston Vets Over 35s League – 12 teams. Vets League
• Hertford & District ORC Sports Football League– 32 teams– home and away fixtures on a Saturday morning
• Hertfordshire Development League – 166 teams– home and away fixtures on a Saturday morning for U7-U11 age groups, with festivals throughout the season for certain age groups.
• Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League – 257 teams– home and away fixtures on a Saturday morning for youth teams, with festivals for certain age groups throughout the season
• Herts Advertiser Sunday Football League – 45 teams– home and away fixtures on a Sunday morning.
• Herts Senior County League – 59 teams– home and away fixtures on a Saturday afternoon.
• Hitchin Sunday League – 33 teams– home and away fixtures on a Sunday morning
• Mid Herts Rural Minors League – 756 teams– home and away fixtures on a Saturday or Sunday for Youth teams
• Mid Herts Vets Football League – 15 teams– home and away fixtures on a Sunday
• Southern Counties Floodlit Youth League – 36 teams– U18s home and away fixtures during midweek
• Terry Reed North West Essex Sunday League – 18 teams– home and away fixtures on a Sunday
• The Hertfordshire and Borders Churches Football League – 13 teams– home and away fixtures on a Saturday
• The TrophyUK.net Royston Crow Youth Football League – 409 teams– home and away youth fixtures on a Saturday or Sunday
• Watford Friendly League – 616 teams– home and away Youth fixtures on a Sunday
• Watford Sunday Football League – 43 teams– home and away fixtures on a Sunday
• West Herts Saturday League – 19 teams– home and away fixtures on a Saturday
• West Herts Youth League – 554 teams– home and away Youth fixtures on a Sunday.

The County FA reports cross boundary migration to/from neighbouring Bedfordshire, Middlesex, Cambridgeshire, Essex and London.

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 East Hertfordshire there are three 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.

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. East Hertfordshire has three FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 23, East Hertfordshire’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 Hertfordshire Girls Football Partnership League in which matches are played on a central venue basis. It is expected to grow provision in future years. Local adult females play in the same league and also play matches on a home and away basis. The League expecting to sustain its provision for the women's game in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Arsenal Ladies. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads. The nearest Women’s Super League team is Arsenal FC, whilst Stevenage Women’s FC play in the FA Women’s National League Division 1 and Watford FC Ladies play in the FA WPL Premier Division (South]. All three clubs provide 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. Key local providers in the County include:

• Railway Friendly Flexi League
• Herts 6s at Westfield Academy & Wodson Park
• Futsal 5s (Herts at Longdean School and The Hemel Hempstead School
• Youth Futsal Series at Longdean School and The Hemel Hempstead School
• Ultimate Football at Monks Walk School
• Roundwood Park Vets League at Roundwood Park School

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 43 futsal teams in Hertfordshire play in the ad-hoc tournaments and one-off events delivered by Hertfordshire FA, Regional Youth Futsal Series and leagues at key site locations including University of Hertfordshire, Ridgeway Academy, Aldenham Sports Centre, Ashlyns School, Longdean School, The Hemel Hempstead School, Clement Danes School, Hitchin Girls School and The Royal Masonic School. It is a priority for the County FA to grow Futsal for youth and adult 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 are currently no FA Just Play centres in East Hertfordshire, however, it is anticipated that one will be delivered and recorded in place by the end of 2019. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisations such as Stevenage FC Foundation and supported by East Hertfordshire Council. Other local recreational football programmes include Herts 6s and community-based projects delivered by a range of organisations including Herts Sports Partnership, Watford CSE Trust & Stevenage FC Foundation.

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 East Hertfordshire is played particularly in the south and east of the local authority. Hartham Common, Southern County Park Play Area, King George Road Play Area and Vantoits Close Playing Area are key heavily used site locations.

The key strength of local football in East Hertfordshire has been club growth. Seven clubs have 20+ teams and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, there is still work to do; conversion of the number of male and female youth teams/players into adult teams and increasing the number of activities for those with a disability.

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

1. Increase the number of senior adult male football teams.
2. Increase the number of adult female football teams.
3. Support the transition of youth teams/players into adult football.
4. Increase the range of recreational programmes across the area.
5. Increase the provision of activities those with a disability, be this through an increase in the number of teams or recreational football opportunity.

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 East Hertfordshire. 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 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 East Hertfordshire are located at:

• Richard Hale School (1),
• Wodson Park Sports Centre (1),
• Ware FC (0.5)*,

*Ware FC pitch is a FIFA Quality Pro surface, and therefore is restricted to 20 community available hours per week. Consequently, it is treated as being equivalent to a 60*40 FTP, or 0.5 full sized pitch equivalent.

There are also two small-sided 3G FTP centres in East Hertfordshire at:

• Hartham Leisure Centre 60*40 FTP (0.5),
• Birchwood High School 60*40 FTP (0.5).

A full-sized 3G FTP is being developed without funding via the Football Foundation at Grange Paddock Leisure Centre - starting in early 2020 and due to be available for use by September 2020. As part of the refurbishment, a number of grass pitches will be lost adjacent to the venue. It is anticipated that the new 3G FTP will accommodate a number of key clubs from the Town, including Bishop Stortford Community FC. It is to be funded via local authority and developer contributions.

The East Hertfordshire PPS calculation for 3G FTPs used the old training demand model calculation (1:42), and not the latest calculation (1:38). Therefore, the shortfall presented in the document is out of date. In addition, small sided provision was not included within the total supply calculation. Based upon the 1:38 ratio and current (2018/2019) affiliation data, there is deemed to be need for 10.5 full-sized 3G FTPs. This mean that, accounting for Ware FC as a 0.5 full sized pitch equivalent and including the new pitch at Grange Paddock Leisure Centre in the supply, there is a shortfall of six full-sized 3G FTPs

All three full sized 3G FTPs are available for community use and on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play). As noted earlier, the Ware FC FTP has restricted hours of use due to the surface type.

The geographic spread of existing facilities is uneven, with key areas of population lacking provision, including Sawbridgeworth and Buntingford and it is recommended that these gaps are addressed.

Local consultation reveals that although there is provision in key towns, such as Hertford, Bishop Stortford and Ware, the number of affilated teams in these areas areas far outstrips the capacity available. For example, in Bishop Stortford there are three community clubs with a combined total of over 100 teams. The current facility (a 60m x 40m FTP located at Birchwood High School), cannot accommodate current demand, with clubs having to either train on sand dressed provision or travel significant distances to access a 3G surface. This problem also exist in Hertford and in Ware. It is recommended that provision is increased across all three towns.

Seven new pitches (across six sites) for potential investment are identified based upon a rationale of serving the high level of unmet demand for affiliated football plus community need. The Plan has listed more 3G FTPs than is currently required due to the significant housing growth, particularly around the Bishop Stortford 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 19 grass pitch sites in East Hertfordshire with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 56 grass pitches. Of these, seven are considered to have good quality pitches and 12 are of either standard or poor quality. Consequently, all 12 of these should be prioritised. This will result in quality improvements to 34 pitches.

In addition, the new Bishop Stortford North Housing Growth Area site has also been identified for investment, resulting in 13 sites. It is anticipated this site will have three grass pitches.

Local consultation confirms the need for issues associated with poor quality, particularly in the Hertford and Ware areas, to be addressed.

13 priority projects for investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by the current PPS and ratified by local partners. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites which are in poor condition but have the potential to cater for affiliated football in the relevant localities.

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 19 key grass pitch sites in East Hertfordshire with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three but deemed to be of strategic importance), eight have suitable changing rooms, seven require improvement/replacement and four have no facilities and require new provision.

11 sites are identified for investment.

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 two indoor facilities that require improvement to develop small-sided football; Richard Hale School and Presdale School. Richard Hale has a 3G FTP, and the idea is to create a football hub with indoor and outdoor provision. Presdale School, an all girls school, is very proactive in developing girls football. Investment in the sports hall would further enhance the offer at the site.

The Authority is currently undertaking a review of all parks and open spaces, and will identify specific sites for investment once this has been undertaken. Unfortunately the timings of this review did not align with the LFFP, and will need to be discussed when this plan is refreshed.

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:

• East Herts Council- Leisure Manager
• Lethenthorpe Academy- Business Manager
• Sele School- Lettings Manager
• Freeman College- Business Manager
• Birchwood High School- Business Manager
• Bengeo Tigers- Club Chairman
• Bishop Stortford Community FC- Club Chairman
• Hertford Youth FC - Club Chairman
• Sawbridgeworth Town FC - Club Chairman
• Bishop Stortford Swifts FC- Club Chairman
• Buntingford Cougars- Club Chairman
• Walton Youth -Club Chairman
• Meninas FC - Club Chairman
• Ware Youth - Club Chairman
• Bury Rangers -Club Chairman
• Thorley Manor FC- Club Chairman