Local Football Facility Plan Islington

Islington is located in the Greater London region. The current population of the Authority (ONS 2016 Mid-Year Estimate) is 232,865. This is expected to rise to 280,402 by 2039.

Islington’s ethnic composition is primarily white (68.2%) although the proportion is lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Islington’s population represented by the BAME community is 31.8%. This is above the national average (14.6%).

Islington has a prosperous economy, having added over 30,000 jobs between 2005 and 2015. Its workforce is forecasted to grow significantly over the next 20 years with predicted jobs growth of 50,500. In 2011, the average daily number of people travelling into Islington for work was 132,137; while the number travelling elsewhere was 71,375; yielding a net inflow of over 60,00 people.

Islington is, nevertheless ranked as the 5th most deprived of the 33 London boroughs and 13th out of 326 English Council areas according to the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (2015) , suggesting there are pockets of wealth and deprivation intermixed throughout the Authority.

Local authority

Islington Borough Council's current Core Strategy (2011) sets out the aspiration that "everyone who lives, works and studies in the Borough can feel that they belong". To enable this the trend of planned social and economic development is set to continue. The plan highlights this development through new retail and spaces for businesses, new homes and schools, improved housing estates and large scale investment in outdoor sports facilities and leisure centres.

In recent years a range of football facilities has been either developed or improved, these include; full-sized (11v11) 3G FTPs at Whittington Park and Market Road ATP. Sobell and Archway leisure centres have small-side provision. There is strong evidence that sport, lesiure and health policy is ingrained within Islington Borough council's core strategy. This is highlighted in a number of other strategies developed in recent years, these include: The Proactive Islington Strategy 2012-2017, and Islington's Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy.

The local authority does not have a playing pitch strategy, in part because Islington has only one grass pitch site at Tufnell Park. It has recently been developing a Sports Facilities Update (2018). The report for this was, at the time of LFFP preparation, at the draft stage.

County football association

Islington is covered by London 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 places.

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). Arsenal in the Community runs a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities in the local area.

Local leisure operator

GLL is the key leisure operator in Islington. It currently operates 17 key sites including the full-sized 3G FTPs at Market Road and Whittington Park. GLL also manages small sided FTPs at Highbury Fields, Sobell Leisure Centre, Finsbury Leisure Centre, Holloway School, Paradise Park, and Rosemary Gardens.

Local consultation

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

• Islington Borough Council
• Islington Midweek Football League
• Camden & Islington Youth League

*In terms of the evidence base this plan was also informed by the Islington Borough Council's Sports Facilities Update (2018).

(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. Islington has a total of 139* teams, which is comparable to local areas of a similar size. (*This includes 48 teams that are affiliated to the Amateur Football Alliance).

The FA is investing to support clubs both on and off the pitch; this 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 Islington, five clubs have more than ten registered teams. The largest of these (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

• Fusion Youth – 14 teams
• London Soccer Stars FC - 14 teams
• European Football Academy - 13 teams
• City of London Youth - 11 teams
• Highbury Wolves - 10 teams

Three leagues operate in Islington. They offer competitive opportunity for many different players, including disability, youth and adults. While there are no specific league opportunities for women & girls within Islington, there is suitable provision in neighbouring London boroughs.

Islington's largest local leagues (2017-18) include:

• Camden and Islington Youth Football League – 109 teams - central venue
• Islington Midweek League – 21 teams– central venue

The County FA reports significant cross boundary migration into Islington primarily due to teams migrating inwards to use the Borough’s footballing facilities, namely Market Road ATP.

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 Islington there are seven football teams specifically for people with a disability. These play in the North London Special League, and a new league being formed for youth disability football by the Camden and Islington Youth Football League. 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. Islington has two FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 14, Islington’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, or central venue basis depending on age. It expects to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Greater London Women’s Football League and matches are played on a home and away basis. It too expects to grow provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Arsenal; located in Shenley. 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 Arsenal which provides player pathway opportunities for gifted and talented female players and a spectator interest for fans.

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:

• GLL - multiple sites
• Playfootball - Paradise Park
• Go Mammoth - Angel

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 two futsal teams in Islington that play in The BUCS League and National Futsal League. It is a priority for the County FA to grow Futsal for across all age formats. At the time of writing there were no clear futsal investment opportunities, this should be reviewed on a annual basis.

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 Islington. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Arsenal in the Community and Playfootball. Walking football and Just Play are prioritised by the County FA for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include pro-club community scheme activity from Arsenal and various casual bookings.

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 Islington is played particularly in the north of the Borough. Elthorne park, Whittington park, West Market Road, and Rosemary Gardens are key site locations that are heavily used.

The key strengths of local football in Islington include its disability offer and the potential growth in this area, its youth provision, the quality of the league overseeing it and the partnerships between Islington Council, GLL and Arsenal In the Community to produce a united approach to football provision. However, gaps in provision do exist in particular for recreational opportunity. It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Islington are:

1.Growth of women’s teams

2.Introduction of a youth disability league (in progress)

3.Rise in the number of Islington clubs with Charter Standard status

4.Youth female participation growth

5.Recreational football opportunities to engage with the Just Play programme.

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 Islington. 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 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 three full-sized (11v11) 3G FTPs in Islington plus 21 small-sided 3G FTPs. This is a shortfall of five full size FTPs relative to assessed demand. The shortfall is calculated using FA 3G demand modelling, which in Islington identifies that the demand for recreational football is higher than affiliated demand.

Existing 3G FTPs in Islington include:

• Market Road ATP (x2 11v11)
• Whittington Park (x1 11v11)
• Andover Estate (x1 5v5)
• Arsenal Hub (x1 5v5)
• Central Foundation Boys School (x1 5v5)
• Elthone Park (x1 5v5)
• Highbury Fields Courts & Pitches (x1 5v5)
• Holloway School (x1 5v5)
• Islington Ars & Media School (x1 5v5)
• Paradise Park (x1 5v5)
• Rosemary Gardens (x1 7v7)
• Sobell Leisure Centre (x2 5v5)
• St Mark’s Primary School (x1 5v5)
• St Mary Magdalene Academy (x1 5v5)
• William Tyndale Primary School (x1 5v5)

In additionally, there are two small-sided 3G FTP centres in Islington:

• Market Road ATP (x3 5v5)
• Finsbury Leisure Centre (x4 5v5)

In spring 2018 Islington Borough Council invested in resurfacing FTPs at the following sites: Whittington Park, Rosemary Gardens, Elthone Park and Paradise Park.

All pitches are available for community use. Those at Whittington Park, Paradise Park, Rosemary Park and William Tyndale Primary School 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, as appropriate, remaining pitches are assessed and placed on the Register to enable more match play on 3G.

The geographic spread of existing facilities is uneven; there are provision gaps in the south and central areas of the Authority despite high levels of population, significant planned regeneration & housing growth and high levels of deprivation; it is recommended that these are addressed. Within Islington, space for new facilities is limited therefore an approach based upon developing predominantly small sided (rather than full sized) 3G pitches has been adopted to help alleviate the borough-wide shortfall.

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

Eight priority projects for potential investment have been identified, comprising one 9v9, one 7v7 and five 5v5 3G FTPs. Undersupply was calculated using the FA 3G FTP demand and supply model. Whilst these proposals do not meet the identified total shortfall of full size FTPs based on recreational demand, it is recommended that future iterations of the plan address this when additional land / development opportunities become available.

It should be noted that, in neighbouring Haringey, there potential for development of a full-sized 3G FTP at St Aloysius Playing Fields. This site is used by St Aloysius College which is a recognised Islington educational establishment. This site is listed as a priority project in the Haringey LFFP and has potential to cater for demand from the north of Islington.

Proposed sites were determined on the basis of a rationale that takes account of the level of access, high population, geographic spread, the quality of existing facilities, high levels of deprivation, and 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.

There is currently one key grass pitch site in Islington at Tufnell Park with two full-size pitch equivalents. This site is of key strategic importance.

The two pitches on the site are broadly considered to be of below average quality.

Tufnell Park is a priority for improvement due to its strategic importance as the sole grass pitch site in Islington. It should be improved in order to sustain its capacity to meet current levels of affiliated team demand. There is potential for further hybrid pitch development at this site where it would, in any event, be very difficult to obtain planning consents for FTPs. It should be noted that hybrid pitches are not currently eligible for funding from Football Foundation until further research/outcomes are determined from the ongoing trials.

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 priority projects as they progress to application to the Football Foundation.

Tufnell Park, as the one key grass pitch site is of strategic importance in Islington. Its changing room facilities need to be refurbished.

The potential 3G development at Barnard Park will necessitate improvement to the changing facilities at this site.

Two priority projects for potential investment have therefore been identified. Each has either no facilities or was deemed to have an unsuitable pavilion:

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.

Eight 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, a high proportion of people from lower social economic groups and corresponding high local demand for informal football. The design and specifics of the facility type/design will be determined during the application phase:.

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

• Community Development Officer - The Arsenal Foundation
• Football Development Officer - London Football Association
• Head of Delivery - London Football Association
• Head of Leisure - LB Islington
• Head of Parks - LB Islington
• Football Development Manager - GLL
• Manager - The St Aloysius Playing Fields Charitable Trust
• Secretary – Camden & Islington Youth League
• Secretary – Islington Midweek Football League
• Youth Sports Development Manager - LB Islington

In terms of evidence base this plan was also informed by the Sport Facilities Update (Draft)

Consultees/stakeholder from this report include:

• LBI Planning Policy
• LBI Public Realm (Greenspace & Leisure)
• LBI Education
• LBI Public Health
• GLL
• Access to Sport
• Arsenal in the Community
• Sport England
• London Sport
• LFA
• Asmara Football Club
• Islington Adult Football League
• Drayton Football Club
• Islington Borough Ladies Football Club

Survey responses were received from the following affiliated clubs:

• London United Futsal Club
• Magical Vegas FC
• Old Magdalenians FC
• Honourable Artillery Company