Local Football Facility Plan Hammersmith and Fulham

Hammersmith & Fulham is located in the London region. The Borough partly sits in West London (Hammersmith and West Kensington) and partly in South West London (Fulham) and forms part of inner London.

The area is unique in that it hosts three professional football clubs (including two in the Premier League). Chelsea FC, Fulham FC and Queens Park Rangers FC all have stadia within Hammersmith & Fulham.

The current population of the Authority (GLA 2016 Mid-Year Estimate) is 182,204. This is expected to rise to 209,253 by 2039.

20.8% of the Hammersmith & Fulham population is within NS SEC classification 6-8 (lower socioeconomic groups). This is lower than the national average (30.6%)

Hammersmith & Fulham’s ethnic composition is primarily White (68.1%) and this is lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Hammersmith & Fulham’s population represented by the BAME community is 31.9%. This is above the national average (14.6%). The main ethnic group of the BAME community is Black, which accounts for 11.8% of the total population.

Local Authority

Hammersmith & Fulham Council values sport and physical activity through its Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2016-2021. The four main aims of the strategy are as follows:

• Supporting good mental health for all
• Supporting children, young people and families to have the best possible start
• Addressing the rising tide of long term conditions
• Building a sustainable health and social care system that is fit for the future

The local authority has no Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) in place. There is plans to commission a PPS in late 2018/early 2019 which will help inform future portfolio projects.

County Football Association

Hammersmith & Fulham is covered by both London and Middlesex County FA. They provide 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). All three professional clubs (Chelsea FC, Fulham FC and QPR FC) operate community trusts in the local authority with each operating a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities within the local area.

Local leisure operator

GLL is the leisure operator in Hammersmith & Fulham. It currently operates at three sites across the local authority; Hammersmith Fitness & Squash Centre, Lillie Road Fitness Centre and Phoenix Fitness Centre. None of these sites are classified as having a strategic importance to football.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Hammersmith & Fulham. A total of 16 individuals (representing 12 local organisations) were consulted. These include:

• Chelsea FC Foundation
• Queens Park Rangers Community Trust
• Brunswick Club For Young People
• Young Hammersmith & Fulham Foundation
• Hammersmith & Fulham London 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. Hammersmith and Fulham has a total of 76 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. London is an anomaly and is primarily made up of one to four club teams. In Hammersmith and Fulham, three clubs have more than eight registered teams. The largest of these (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

• CS Rangers - 10 teams
• Foxes - 9 teams
• Magix Youth - 9 teams

Four leagues operate in Hammersmith and Fulham. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including girls, disability, youth and adults. While there are no specific league opportunities for women within Hammersmith and Fulham, there is however some provision provided in neighbouring South London and Middlesex.

Hammersmith and Fulham largest local leagues (2017-18) include:

• London County Saturday Youth League – 237 teams–spanning across South London from Hammersmith and Fulham to as far as Southwark
• Southern Sunday League teams –67 adult male team at multiple sites across South London
• Middlesex Youth Football League – 34 teams–multiple sites across Middlesex

The County FA 's report that there is some cross boundary migration in Hammersmith and Fulham due to teams migrating outwards to the London County Saturday Youth League and South 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 Hammersmith and Fulham there are two 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. Hammersmith and Fulham has four FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

Hammersmith and Fulham’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 Capital Girls 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 Greater London Women's League and matches are played on a home and away basis and the league is expected to grow its provision in future years. London has a lack of female provision for adults and youth. There are girls and ladies divisions spilt across a number leagues, London County Saturday Youth League with four divisions and Tandridge League with several divisions.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Fulham or QPR which is located in Hammersmith and Fulham. 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 Ladies 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.

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 smallsided 3G centres.

Key local providers include:

• London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Linford Christie Stadium
• HireAPitch and Eel Brook Common
• Play Football and White City

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 Hammersmith and Fulham. It is a priority for the County FA to grow Futsal for all players.

Recreational football

Recreational football is played where facilities are typically booked and there might be someone to help organise. Examples include FA Just Play sessions, walking football and casual pitch hire for small-sided match play.

There is currently no FA Just Play Centres in Hammersmith and Fulham. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Play Football Walking football and Just Play are areas that the County FA has prioritised for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include QPR Community Trust Wildcats and Chelsea FC Foundation, Kicks sessions.

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).

Informal football in Hammersmith and Fulham is most popular in South Park, Hurlingham Park and Wormwood Scrubs.

The key strengths of local football in Hammersmith and Fulham include The London County Saturday Youth League and Fulham Community Foundation provision and it is recommend that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, gaps in provision do exist; there are aspects of football provision that are lacking particularly female and disability football which is comparable across the capital. It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Hammersmith and Fulham are:

1. Female football adult and youth
2. Youth Football

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 Hammersmith & Fulham's. 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 is currently one 3G FTP in Hammersmith & Fulham; there is a shortfall of one pitch relative to assessed demand.

The one full sized existing 3G FTP in Hammersmith & Fulham is located at Burlington Danes Academy.

Additionally, there is currently one smallsided 3G FTP centre in Hammersmith & Fulham located at Play Football (Shepherds Bush).

The 3G FTP located at Burlington Danes Academy is available for community use. The pitch is not on the FA Register (meaning it is quality checked and can be used for football match play). It is strongly recommend that the pitch is certified at the next possible opportunity to allow for competitive match use.

The geographical spread of existing facilities is uneven; all 3G FTP provision (including PlayFootball) is located in the north of Hammersmith & Fulham. There is a lack of facilities in the south, despite high levels of population and it is recommended that this issue is addressed.

Consideration will also need to be given to the future requirements associated with the 25,500 new homes at Old Oak and Park Royal as this will create a new concentration of demand in the area. Although this is not within the Hammersmith and Fulham boundary it will potentially place increased pressure on provision at Wormwood Scrubs and Linford Christie Outdoor Sports Centre.

Local consultation reveals high pricing and low availability of 3G FTP provision and it is recommended that these issues are addressed.

Six priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Undersupply was calculated using the FA 3G FTP demand and supply model. It should be noted that although two potential projects for full size AGP conversion are identified, one conversion is recommended to meet demand for affiliated football. In addition to this the project steering group also identified additional projects to accommodate recreational football demand in the area. Each site was selected by local partners based on a rationale of good access, high population, geographical spread, success and quality of existing facilities.

3 - Eel Brook Common – refurbishment of existing 5v5 AGP

• Existing facilities – 5v5 AGP
• Existing users – used for informal football
• Rationale – participation growth in: recreational/informal football.

4 - Onside Youth Zone – Hammersmith & Fulham – new floodlit 5v5 FTP

• Existing facilities – None
• Existing users – None
• Rationale – participation growth in: recreational/informal football, BAME engagement, lower socio-economic group engagement.

5 - Lillie Road Recreation Ground – new floodlit small sided 3G FTP centre (four small FTP's)

• Existing facilities – None
• Existing users – None
• Rationale – participation growth in: recreational/informal football, BAME engagement, disability football

6 - Brunswick Club for Young People– refurbishment of existing 7v7 FTP

• Existing facilities – 7v7 3G FTP
• Existing users – 5 affiliated teams, significant recreational/informal use.
• Rationale – participation growth in: junior football, recreational/informal football, BAME engagement.

7 - Ravenscourt Park – refurbishment of 11v11 AGP (including installation of floodlighting)

• Existing facilities – 1 x 11v11 sand dressed AGP (not floodlit)
• Existing users – local schools access pitch for all curricular PE activity. Pitch not floodlit so not accessed in evenings.
• Rationale – participation growth in: junior football, senior football, women’s and girls football, over 50s participation and recreational football

13 - Hurlingham Park – refurbishment of 11v11 AGP (including installation of floodlighting)

• Existing facilities – 1 x 11v11 sand dressed AGP (not floodlit)
• Existing users – local schools access pitch for all curricular PE activity. Pitch not floodlit so not accessed in evenings.
• Rationale – participation growth in: junior football, senior football, women’s and girls football, over 50s participation and recreational football

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.

There are currently three grass pitch sites in Hammersmith & Fulham with three or more full-size pitch equivalents containing 17 grass pitches. Of these, four are considered to have good quality pitches, four are of standard quality and nine are poor quality.

Local consultation highlights common issues with poor quality and long travel distances to access provision and it is recommended that, where possible, these are addressed.

One priority project for potential investment have been identified. Wormwood Scrubs is a strategic grass pitch hub site containing nine full-size pitch equivalents all of which are poor quality. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by FA data. The prioritisation was made by local partners with the rationale of selecting sites in the poorest and therefore evidenced a higher strategic focus to improve provision.

1 - Wormwood Scrubs – works to natural grass pitches

• Existing facilities – Five adult, four junior pitches
• Existing users – 39 affiliated teams
• Rationale – Site is a strategic grass pitch hub for North / West London and is the key piece of open / green space within the wider Old Oak and Park Royal masterplan. Potential participation growth in: junior football, senior football, women’s and girls football and recreational/informal 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 three key sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents in Hammersmith & Fulham,two have suitable changing room pavilions, and one site, Wormwood Scrubs, does not have any accomanying

Two 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 assessed against a standard criteria to have an unsuitable pavilion:

1 - Wormwood Scrubs – changing pavilion

• Existing facilities – Five adult, four junior pitches
• Existing users – 39 affiliated teams
• Rationale – participation growth in: junior football, senior football, women’s and girls football and recreational football.

2 - Linford Christie Sports Centre– refurbish changing pavilion

• Existing facilities – One adult pitch, AGP, small sided AGPs
• Existing users – eight affiliated teams, high levels of recreational use.
• Rationale – participation growth in: junior football, senior football, women’s and girls football and recreational 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 did not highlight any specific facility need for indoor provision.

Multi-use games areas (MUGAs) Four 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 , limited green space , high levels of deprivation, high levels of lower social economic groups and corresponding high local demand.

8 - White City Housing Estate– creation of MUGA

• Existing facilities – none
• Existing users – none
• Rationale – participation growth in: informal/recreational football in lower socioeconomic groups.

9 - Edward Woods Housing Estate– creation of MUGA

• Existing facilities – none
• Existing users – none
• Rationale – participation growth in: informal/recreational football in lower socioeconomic groups.

10 - Charecroft Housing Estate– creation of MUGA

• Existing facilities – none
• Existing users – none
• Rationale – participation growth in: informal/recreational football in lower socioeconomic groups.

11 - Wormholt Housing Estate–creation of MUGA

• Existing facilities – none
• Existing users – none
• Rationale – participation growth in: informal/recreational football in lower socioeconomic groups.

Following local consultation, one location has 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:

12 - South Park– Informal football

• Existing facilities – One adult and one junior football pitch
• Existing users – Two local schools. High levels of informal use
• Rationale – participation growth in: informal/recreational football

• CEO – QPR FC Foundation
• CEO – Young Hammersmith & Fulham Foundation
• CEO – Earth Regeneration
• Community Sport Coordinator – London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
• Community Manager – Chelsea FC Foundation
• Head of Policy & Spatial Planning – London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham
• Project Director – Onside Trust
• Site Manager – Brunswick Club for Young People
• Secretary – Foxes FC
• Regional Community Sport & Community Health Manager – GLL
• Relationship Manager – London Sport
• Resident Involvement Manager – London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham