Local Football Facility Plan Haringey

Haringey is located in the London region. The current population of the Authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 271,224. This is expected to rise to 315,987 by 2039.

Haringey’s ethnic composition is primarily white (61%). This is, however, significantly lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Haringey’s population represented by the BAME community is 39%. This is significantly above the national average (14.6%).

A third of Haringey’s population is aged below 20. The largest number and proportion of young people live in its two poorest areas, Northumberland Park and White Hart Lane (London’s third and fifth most deprived wards respectively).

Haringey is ranked 20th most deprived out of 326 English LAs, and 7th out of the 33 London Boroughs.

Local authority

Building A Stronger Haringey Together: Haringey Council's Corporate Plan 2015-18 includes the following aim; 'We will instigate prevention in all areas of council activity, including smarter travel and fewer journeys by car to reduce congestion and increase physical activity, and greater use of parks and leisure to improve health and wellbeing'.

Haringey's Physical Activity and Sport Framework 2015-19 includes the aims: 'More people regularly taking part in physical activity and sport' and 'Provide a range of accessible, high quality and well used facilities, parks and open spaces that encourage people to be physically active'. It is also committed to developing a 10 year parks strategy and has recently completed a needs assessment (2016-26) in respect of outdoor sports & play facilities.

Haringey's Playing Pitch Strategy was developed in 2016. The key finding is that there is a significant level of unmet demand for FTPs, particularly in the East of the Borough. While 45% of grass football pitches in Haringey were rated as good (during the 2014/15 season), 21% were rated standard and 34% rated poor.

Haringey is ethnically diverse and there are substantial disparities in life expectancy between the more affluent west, and the more deprived east of the borough. In the east, the neighbourhoods of Wood Green, Tottenham Hale and White Hart Lane are the focus of regeneration, with the building of Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium driving significant housing and retail development. East Haringey along with the London Boroughs of Hounslow and Barking & Dagenham have been chosen by the Laureus 'Sport for Good' foundation to take part in a 2.5 year pilot programme exploring how sport can be used as a tool to aid social integration.

County football association

Haringey is covered by both the London and Middlesex County FAs as well as the Amateur Football Alliance. They provide governance and development support to all aspects of local football including coaches, referees, volunteers, clubs and leagues; supporting football for all. Both county FAs have designated facilities investment lead officers who work 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 two county FAs 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 offer a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). The Tottenham Hotspur Foundation runs a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities in the local area.

Local leisure operator

Fusion Lifestyle is the leisure operator in Haringey . It currently runs football facilities at New River Sport & Fitness including two full sized (11v11) FTPs and a small-sided centre.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Haringey. 12 individuals (representing 11 local organisations) were spoken to. Agencies consulted include:

• The Bridge Renewal Trust
• Homes for Haringey
• Friends of Haringey Parks
• Haringey Football Forum

(See Appendix B for full list of consultees)

There are over 91,000 community football teams in England, spread over an expansive network of clubs and leagues. Haringey has a total of 201 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 biggest clubs tend to average between 7 – 9 teams. In Haringey, three clubs have more than 10 registered teams. Some of the larger clubs in Haringey (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

• Alexandra Park Youth – 32 teams
• Alexandra Park - 11 teams
• Rap-Aid Youth - 16 teams
• TFA United - 9 teams
• Chettle Court Rangers- 8 teams
• Park View- 7 teams
• Tottenham Hotspur Ladies Youth- 8 teams

Two leagues operate in Haringey. They offer competitive opportunities for adult male players including adults. While there are no specific league opportunities for e.g. disability , women and mini soccer within Haringey suitable provision is made in neighbouring Hackney .

Leagues in which Haringey teams play (2017-18) include :

• Barnet Sunday Football League– 56 teams–at multiple sites
• Turkish Community Football Federation– 16 teams–at multiple sites
• Capital Girls League - 90 teams
• pan London - Watford Friendly League - 580 teams
• Hertfordshire
• Cheshunt Youth Football League - Hertfordshire - 117 teams

The County FA reports significant cross boundary migration to/from Haringey mainly due to Haringey based teams migrating out to play in Hertfordshire.

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.

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.

The county FAs' priorities are 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 League; its matches are played on a home and away basis. It is expected to sustain provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Greater London Womens’ League; its matches are played on a home and away and it too expacts to sustain provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA grassroots club is Tottenham Hotspur Ladies who provide player pathway opportunities for gifted and talented female players and a spectator interest for fans. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads.

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 include:

• New River Sports Centre – Wood Green
• Power League Tottenham– Fredrick Knight
• Tottenham Community Sports Centre

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 Futsal is available across the country.

There are currently 2 futsal teams in Haringey. They play in the London Futsal League at key site locations including Ive Farm in Waltham Forest and Haringey Sixth Form College. It is a priority for the two county FAs to sustain Futsal for male, female, youth and adult players.

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 Haringey. Walking football sessions are delivered by community organisation including the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. Walking football and Just Play are formats that the County FAs have prioritised for further growth and development to be sustained. Other local recreational football programmes include the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation pro-club community scheme for various age groups. The Cruyff Foundation also deliver various projects for the professional club.

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 Haringey is played across the Borough. Key, heavily used locations include Alexandra Park, Muswell Hill Playing Fields, and Frederick Knight sports ground.

Summary

The key strengths of local football in Haringey include adult and youth male provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and encouraged to grow further.

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

1.Female football youth and adult

2.Disability football

3.Recreational football that will help with wider social agendas

4.How informal spaces can be used to meet demand

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 Haringey. 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 authority 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.

FA data states that there are currently five full size (11v11) FTPs and 25 small sided FTPs in Haringey. Haringey Council is participating in the FA's Parklife football hub programme, which has modelled a requirement for four additional full-sized FTPs when factoring additional housing growth in the borough.

Haringey's PPS (2016) highlighted a shortfall of four AGPs based on Sport England FPM demand modelling and factoring in issues such as the sites at St Thomas More and Highgate Wood Schools not meeting FA minimum size guidelines for adult football. Shortfalls were deemed to be particularly acute in the east of the borough where levels of league and casual play taking place on grass pitches are particularly high.

Existing full size 3G FTPs in Haringey :

• New River Sport & Fitness (2 x 11 v 11)
• Haringey Borough Football Club (11 v 11)
• St Thomas More Catholic School (11 v 11)
• Highgate Wood School (11 v 11)

There are currently two small-sided 3G FTP centres in Haringey:

• New River Sport & Fitness
• Powerleague Tottenham (Frederick Knight Sports Ground)

Each of the 11 v 11 FTPs is available for community use. Only the FTPs at New River Sport & Fitness are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play) . It is strongly recommend that the three remaining pitches are assessed and put onto the register to enable more match play on 3G.

The geographic spread of existing facilities is uneven; three of the full-sized FTPs (those at New River and Haringey Borough FC) are located in the north of the borough. There are provision gaps in the east despite high levels of population, significant planned regeneration & housing growth and high levels of deprivation and it is recommended that these are addressed.

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

Six priority projects for potential investment have been identified, comprising four full-sized (11v11) FTPs and two 5v5 facilities. The current undersupply of full-sized FTPs was calculated using the aforementioned Parklife demand modelling. Each site was selected based on a rationale which includes factors such as good access, a high population, geographic spread, the quality of existing facilities, high levels of deprivation and their capacity to service a high proportion of people from lower social economic groups :

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 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.

Often 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.

Pitch finder data indicates that there are currently ten grass pitch sites in Haringey with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three but of strategic importance). Between them these contain 35 grass pitches.

Of these, according to the PPS 13 are considered to be good quality, five are of standard quality and 16 are deemed to be poor quality.

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

Of the key pitch sites referenced above, six have been prioritised for improvement. In addition, one site (Frederick Knight) has been identified as capable of hosting a grounds maintenance equipment bank, which could support other community clubs in the East of the Borough. Prioritisation was determined on the basis of a rationale which includes the selection of sites that are in the poorest condition and with a strategic focus to improve Local Authority / club pitches. The spread of priority projects are predominantly located in the North of the Borough, which reflects the fact that this is where majority of larger grass pitch sites are located.

These can provide a number of different benefits. While the primary function is normally 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 or deemed to be of strategic significance. However, as pitch quality is the number one priority for players this is prioritised ahead of 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 grass pitch sites in Haringey with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or deemed to be of strategic importance), nine have some form of changing provision. Of these, six have suitable changing rooms but 3 sites require refurbishment. The one proposed new build pavilion is at Bull Lane.

Four priority projects for potential investment are, thus, 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 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 identifies 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 that, (notwithstanding that futsal has been identified as a priority in Haringey) , no indoor facilities have been identified that require improvement to develop small-sided football.

It is suggested that future iterations of the plan should consider whether indoor facility improvements are needed to develop futsal.

Six potential opportunities for MUGAs have been identified. In each case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of high urban population, with limited green space, high levels of deprivation, high levels of people from lower social economic groups and corresponding high local demand for informal football:

Haringey Council is also making investment into a MUGA facility at Markfield Park and building a small sided 3G facility at Downlane Park.

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

• Commissioning Manager for Active Communities - Haringey Council
• Commissioning Manager for Public Realm, Haringey Council
• Secretary - Park View FC
• Representative - Broadwater Farm Utd FC
• CEO - Bridge Renewal Trust
• Neighbourhood Improvement Manager - Homes for Haringey
• Chair - Haringey Friends of Parks Forum
• Chair - Haringey Football Forum
• Founder - Community Action Sport
• Head Coach & Development Officer - Spurs Ladies
• General & Commercial Manager - Spurs Ladies
• CEO - Alexandra Park Trust