Local Football Facility Plan East Staffordshire

East Staffordshire is in the West Midlands region

The current population of the Authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 117,552. This is expected to rise to 125,017 by 2039.

36.7% of the East Staffordshire population is within NS SEC classification 6-8 (lower socio-economic groups). This is above the national average (30.6%)

East Staffordshire’s ethnic composition is primarily classed as White (90.4%) which is higher than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of East Staffordshire’s population represented by the BAME community is 9.6%. This is below the national average of 14.6%.

Local Authority

The local authority has a Playing Pitch Strategy in place, which was undertaken in 2017. The key finding in relation to 3G pitch provision is that the Borough has an insufficient supply of full sized 3G pitches to meet current and anticipated future demand based on the FA training model for football. In respect of grass pitch provision, the assessment identified a number of poor quality sites. The PPS also endorsed the development of several community sports hub sites, including the Uttoxeter quarry development.

County Football Association

East Staffordshire is covered by Staffordshire 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.

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). The Burton Albion FC Community Trust runs a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities within the local area.

Local leisure operator

Leisure facilities in East Staffordshire are currently operated in house. East Staffordshire Borough Council currently operate sports centres at Uttoxeter, Shobnall and Meadowside.

Local consultation

This has taken place with the following community groups in East Staffordshire. Five individuals (representing four local organisations) were consulted. These were:

• Burton Junior Football League
• Marston's Sports & Social Club
• Washlands Sports & Social Club
• East Staffordshire Borough Council

(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 Staffordshire has a total of 151 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 Staffordshire, five clubs have more than 10 registered teams. The largest of these (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

Barton Rovers FC - 16 teams

Belvedere Park FC - 16 teams

Outwoods FC – 24 teams

Uttoxeter Juniors FC - 12 teams

Winshill FC - 15 teams

Three leagues operate in East Staffordshire. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including youth and adults . While there are no specific league opportunities for female and disability players within East Staffordshire, there is however suitable provision provided in neighbouring Staffordshire, Birmingham and Derbyshire Leagues.

East Staffordshire’s largest local leagues (2017-18) include:

Burton Junior Football League

Burton & District Sunday League

Uttoxeter & District Sunday League

The County FA reports that there is significant cross boundary migration in East Staffordshire due to teams migrating inwards and outwards to the Lichfield & District Recreational League, Staffordshire Girls & Ladies League, Derby City Football League and Derby Junior Football League.

Disability football

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

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

Women and girls

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

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

FA Wildcats girls football centres provide the first step on the recreational pathway, the programme provides girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football in a fun and engaging environment. East Staffordshire has six FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to sustain this activity.

At five, East Staffordshire’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 Staffordshire Girls & Ladies League and matches are played on a home and away and central venue basis. The league is expected to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Staffordshire Girls & Ladies League and matches are played on a home and away basis and the league is expected to grow its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) are Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Derby County, Leicester City, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers which are located in the local area . 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 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 & 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

5-a-side (Robert Sutton Sports College)

Leisure Leagues (Robert Sutton Sports College)

Leisure Leagues (Thomas Alleynes High School)

Power Play (Robert Sutton Sports College)

Burton Albion Community Trust (Pirelli Stadium)

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 two futsal teams in East Staffordshire that play in the Football League Trust. It is a priority for the County FA to grow Futsal for male, female, youth, 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 four FA Just Play Centres in East Staffordshire. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Burton Albion Community Trust. Walking football and Just Play are areas that the County FA has prioritised for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include Mums Play Football, Flexible 11v11 Leagues and Flexible 11v11 Veterans Leagues which are delivered by a range of organisations including The Staffordshire Football Association and Burton Albion Community Trust.

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 Staffordshire is played particularly in the north, east, west and central part of the Borough. St Georges Park, Meadowside Leisure Centre, Shobnall Leisure Complex and Uttoxeter Leisure Centre are key site locations that are heavily used.

The key strengths of local football in East Staffordshire include Youth Male and Mini Soccer provision and it is recommend that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, gaps in provision do exist, these include Disability and Female football.

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

Sustain and Grow Adult Male Participation

Sustain and Grow Male Mini Soccer and Youth Participation

Grow Female Participation

Grow Disability Participation

Increase Recreational Opportunities and Futsal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

High capacity levels offer a great opportunity to embrace all formats and engage all participants. A full-sized 3G caters for an average of 1,200 participants per week and is suitable for various location types. That means being fully inclusive to all sections of the community, with a 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.

FA data states that there are currently five 3G FTPs in Staffordshire; based purely on FA demand modelling this does not represent a shortfall, however both the 2016 Playing Pitch Strategy and steering group consultation identify that there is a shortfall of one full sized FTP based on a rationale of there being no full sized 3G FTPs in Uttoxeter despite high levels of training and competitive demand.

Existing 3G FTPs in East Staffordshire include:

• St Georges Park national football centre (3 x FTP)
• Robert Sutton catholic high school
• Pirelli Stadium ( Burton Albion FC )

Three of the five pitches are available for community use, with the remaining two FTP's at SGP being allocated for FA national team use. Four 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 pitch at Robert Sutton Catholic High School is placed on the register to enable more match play on 3G. The geographical spread of existing facilities is uneven; pitches are located in the south east of the Borough in the main population centre of Burton, with the aforementioned gap in facilities being in Uttoxeter.

Local consultation reveals common issues with lack of match play on 3G and it is recommended that these are addressed.

Five priority projects for potential investment have been identified (including an 'either / or' option in respect of new 3G FTP provision in Uttoxeter). Undersupply was calculated using the Councils Playing Pitch Strategy and 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 :

1- Uttoxeter Option A - Uttoxeter Quarry Community Sports Hub - New floodlit 11 v 11 FTP

• Existing facilities - n/a
• Current users - n/a
• Rationale - Site is to be brought into use by the owner, Aggregate Industries. Location is identified within the ESBC PPS as offering potential to meet an identified shortfall in 3G FTP provision and could become a community football hub to accommodate Uttoxeter Junior FC & Rocester FC (Step 5). Potential participation growth in youth male & female, adult football, mini-soccer, small sided recreational.

*This site is an either / or option alongside site 2 - Thomas Alleynes High School*

2- Uttoxeter Option B - Thomas Alleynes High School - Conversion of sand based AGP to floodlit 11 v 11 FTP

• Existing facilities - 1 x sand based AGP , 3 x grass pitches
• Current users - significant junior team training demand
• Rationale - According to the ESBC PPS, the sites sand based pitch accommodates weekday evening football usage and is nearing the end of its operational life. It is recommended in the PPS that conversion to 3G can be considered on condition that Uttoxeter HC are found a suitable alternative venue. Potential participation increases in youth male & female, adult football, mini-soccer, small sided recreational.

*This site is an either / or option alongside site 1 - Uttoxeter quarry community sports hub*

3- Robert Sutton catholic high school - refurbish 11 v 11 FTP

• Existing facilities - floodlit 11 v 11 FTP
• Current users - Burton junior football league.
• Rationale - Pitch is understood to be of poor and deteriorating quality . Refurbishment and subsequent FA certification will allow the continuation of its use by Burton JFL for match play and training demand.

9- Shobnall Leisure Complex - New Floodlit 11 v 11 FTP (medium to long term option)

• Existing facilities - 13 x grass pitches, 2 x sand based AGP's
• Current users - Burton junior football league.
• Rationale - Site experiences significant use of its grass pitches by Burton JFL for match play and training demand. JFL expressed a desire for increased access to 3G during consultation. Potential participation increase in youth male / female / mini - soccer. NB this should be considered as a medium / long term option and growth opportunity.

10 - Burton - based primary school (location TBC) - new floodlit 7 v 7 FTP

• Existing facilities - n/a
• Current users - n/a
• Rationale - Consultation with Burton Albion Community trust confirmed a need for an additional small-sided FTP based on the successful model established at Anglesey primary academy. Potential participation increase in youth male / female / mini - soccer and BAME communities.

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.

Pitch finder data indicates that there are currently 10 grass pitch sites in East Staffordshire with three or more full-size pitch equivalents containing 65 grass pitches.

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

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

Six priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Each site has three or more full-size pitch equivalents of poor/standard quality with the exception of Holland sports club which has two pitches but is considered to be of strategic importance . Pitch quality rating was evidenced by PPS data and qualified by local partners. The prioritisation was informed by local partners with the rationale of selecting sites in the poorest condition and with strategic focus to improve club pitches:

1- Uttoxeter quarry community sports hub - creation of new natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities - n/a -potentially 4 x grass pitches
• Existing users - Tenant football club (s)to be identified
• Rationale - Site is to be brought into use by the owner, Aggregate Industries. Location is identified within the ESBC PPS as offering potential to meet matchplay and training demand. Site could become a community football hub to accommodate Uttoxeter Junior FC & Rocester FC (Step 5). Potential participation growth in youth male & female, adult football.

2- Thomas Alleyne’s High School School - works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities - 3 x grass pitches
• Existing users - n/a
• Rationale -Site identified in PPS and during consultation as poor quality and requiring improvement. School are willing to provide community access in the event of improved pitch quality.Potential participation increases in youth male & female football.

4 -Holland Sports Club -works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities - 2 x grass pitches
• Existing users - Barton Rovers JFC (six teams)
• Rationale - Site identified in PPS as poor quality and requiring improvement. Potential participation increases in youth male & female football.

5- Washlands Sports Ground - works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities - 3 x grass pitches
• Existing users - Burton Junior Football League central venue
• Rationale - Site identified in PPS and during consultation as poor quality and requiring improvement. Potential participation increases in youth male & female football.

6 -Marstons Sports & Social Club - works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities - 8 x grass pitches
• Existing users - Burton Albion FC ladies, Burton Junior Football League
• Rationale - Site identified in PPS and during consultation as poor quality and requiring improvement. Potential participation increases in youth male & female football.

7- Craythorne Fields - works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities - 3 x grass pitches
• Existing users - Rollesston Saturday (six teams)
• Rationale - Site identified in PPS and during consultation as poor quality and requiring improvement. Potential participation increases in youth male & female football.

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 10 key sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents in East Staffordshire, eight have suitable changing room pavilions/clubhouses and two have facilities that need improvement/ replacement. One additional new grass pitch facility (Uttoxeter Quarry) is potentially being developed , has no facilities and requires a new changing pavilion.

Four priority projects for potential investment have therefore been identified. Each project has three or more full-size pitch equivalents and has either no facilities or was deemed to have an unsuitable pavilion:

1- Uttoxeter quarry community sports hub - new build pavilion

• Existing facilities - n/a
• Existing users - Tenant football club(s) to be identified.
• Rationale - Site is to be brought into use by the owner, Aggregate Industries. Location is identified within the ESBC PPS as offering potential to meet matchplay and training demand. Site could become a community football hub to accommodate Uttoxeter Junior FC & Rocester FC (Step 5). Potential participation growth in youth male & female, adult football.

4- Holland Sports Club - pavilion refurbishment

• Existing facilities - 2 x grass pitches
• Existing users - Barton Rovers JFC (six teams)
• Rationale - Site identified in PPS as requiring improvement to ancillary faciities. Potential participation increases in youth male & female football.

7- Craythorne Fields - new build pavilion

• Existing facilities - 3 x grass pitches
• Existing users - Rollesston Saturday (six teams)
• Rationale - Site identified in PPS and during consultation as requiring improvement to ancillary facilities. Potential participation increases in youth male & female football.

8- Abbots Bromley Sports Association - new build pavilion

• Existing facilities - 3 x grass pitches
• Existing users -Abbots Bromley
• Rationale - .Project identified by Staffs CFA . Currently in football foundation process in respect of grass pitch improvement. Next phase development is new build multi sport pavilion. Potential participation increases in youth male / female and adult football.

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

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

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

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

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

Local consultation reveals there are no indoor facilities that require improvement to develop small-sided football.

No potential opportunities for MUGA’s have been identified.

Following local consultation, no locations have been identified to support small-sided informal football.

• Chair - Burton Junior Football League
• Secretary - Washlands Sports & Social Club
• Secretary - Marstons Sports & Social Club
• Assistant Indoor Facilities & Sports Manager - East Staffordshire Borough Council
• Head of Service, Leisure, Culture & Sport - East Staffordshire Borough Council
• Head of Community - Burton Albion Community Trust