Local Football Facility Plan Leicester

Leicester is in the East Midlands region.

The current population of the authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 353,540. This is expected to rise to 401,295 by 2039.

Leicester is ranked the 2nd most deprived out of 40 LAs in the region, and 14 out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

Just over half of Leicester's ethnic composition is white (50.5%). This figure is significantly lower than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Leicester’s population represented by the BAME community is 49.5%. This figure is significantly above the national average (14.6%).

Local Authority

The Leicester City Council Core Strategy, which was adopted in 2014, sets out its 25 year vision for the City. The vision is to transform Leicester into Britain’s sustainable city and in doing so, deliver a beautiful city with confident people and a new prosperity. To achieve this, the following priorities have been listed.

• Investing in our children;
• Planning for people not cars;
• Reducing our carbon footprint;
• Creating thriving, safe communities;
• Improving well being and health; and
• Investing in skills and enterprise.

To improve the health and well being, the Council will seek to maintain existing green space and parks, and identify new opportunities for their creation and use by local communities whilst contributing to the green network of sites across the City. In addition, the Authority will continue to improve the availability and quality of all leisure facilities, to support Leicester's diverse communities.

Children, Young People and Families Healthy Weight Strategy was adopted in 2018. There are increasing number of children in Leicester living with a unhealthy weight and this Strategy aims to address the issue through partnership working by engaging communities and empowering people to make healthy changes. This will be achieved through the following aims:

• Create an environment where children and young people are supported to be fit and happy.
• Work with a range of organisations to promote affordable healthy food and drink, and enable Leicester to be a healthy environment to live and grow up in.
• Improve children’s knowledge about healthy eating and physical activity, and encourage them to make positive choices.
• Encourage adults who live or work with children to be good role models, who have positive relationships with food and physical activity.

In 2009, the City Council in partnership with the County FA and the Football Foundation invested significantly in improving football provision across the City at seven sites, including new purpose built pavilions, 3G FTPs, and grass pitches with floodlighting. The new 3G pitches were located at Aylestone Recreational Ground, New College and Riverside Football Ground.

The City Playing Pitch Strategy was adopted in 2017. Overall analysis demonstrated that there is some spare capacity on grass pitches, particularly for 5v5, 7v7 and adult football. There is, however, a lack of spare capacity for youth and 9v9 games. There are currently seven community available full-sized 3G FTPs (although one at Beaumont Park is predominantly used for other sports) in the City and there is a requirement for a further two.

County Football Association

Leicester is covered by the Leicestershire and Rutland County FA. It provides governance for, and development support to, all aspects of local football including coaches, referees, volunteers, clubs and leagues; supporting football for all. The County FA has a designated facilities investment lead officer who works to ensure the right facilities are located in the right locations.

Football Foundation

The Regional Engagement Manager and Regional Technical Project Manager at the Football Foundation work collaboratively with the County FA to provide pre-application support to priority projects for potential investment.

Sport England

Has a network of planning managers who have a statutory role in the planning system to protect playing fields and provide consultation responses to planning applications relating to sporting facilities . They also play a key role in strategic planning for sports facilities, providing advice and support to local authorities to assess need for facilities in their local area.

Professional Community Club Organisations (CCOs)

These 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 Leicester City Community Trust runs a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities in the City and the surrounding authorities. These include the Premier League Kicks programmes at a number of sites across the City, intervention programmes and also initiatives to engage with more women and girls.

The Trust is currently based at the Leicester City Football Club training facility (Belvoir Drive Training Ground) and the King Power Stadium, however the Club intends to move its training facility to a new site in Charnwood in 2020. There is uncertainty as to what will happen with the current site, which has both indoor and outdoor facilities, however the Trust is keen to maintain a presence in the City, either at Belvoir Drive or at another venue.

Local Leisure Operator

The Council operates all its eight sports centres plus an athletics facility on an in-house basis. It does not manage any strategic football sites directly, however, it has agreements with specific clubs and educational providers on certain sites, including New College and Aylestone Recreational Ground.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Leicester. 18 individuals (representing 14 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• Leicester City Council
• Leicester City Community Trust
• Saffron Young People's Centre
• B-Inspired
• Pink Lizard Community Organisation
• A range of football clubs.

(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. Leicester has a total of 340 teams.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 Leicester, 13 clubs have more than 10 registered teams. The largest of these (based upon 2018-19 affiliation data) are:

• Aylestone Park Youth, 45 teams
• Leicester City LFC, 32 teams
• GNG Juniors, 29 teams
• AFC Andrews, 25 teams
• Allexton and New Parks, 23 teams

Leagues

18 leagues operate in Leicestershire and Rutland. They offer competitive opportunity for many different players, including women and girls, disability, youth and adults. Male, female and youth futsal leagues are also in place in the County. The largest adult local leagues (2018-19) include:

• The Alliance Football League – 74 teams– home and away
• Leicester and Charnwood Sunday Football League – 43 teams– home and away
• Leicestershire Senior League – 40 teams– home and away
• Leicester City Football League- veterans – 40 teams– home and away
• North Leicestershire Football League – 37 teams– home and away
• Leicester and District Football League – 33 teams– home and away
• Hinckley and District Sunday Football League - 21 teams– home and away
• Leicestershire Senior County Women’s Football League - 11 teams– home and away

Leicestershire and Rutland's largest youth local leagues (2018-19) include:

• Leicester and District Mutual Football League, U7-U10 – 452 teams– home and away
• Leicester and District Sunday Junior U13-U15– 218 teams– home and away
• Leicestershire Foxes Sunday League U11-U12 – 201 teams– home and away
• Leicester City County Girls League U8-U18 – 142 teams– home and away
• MDH Teamwear Leicestershire Youth League U16 – U18 – 89 teams– home and away
• Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League U18 – 20 teams– home and away

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 Leicester 31 football teams cater specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the County FA to sustain and further 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. Leicestershire and Rutland operates a number of Wildcats girls sessions and the priority is to grow this activity to 15 successful and sustainable centres across the county by 2021.

There are 33 female teams in Leicester; this 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 Leicester City County Girls U8-U18 League in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It is expected to grow its provision in future years particularly at mini soccer age groups. The local adult female league is the Leicestershire Senior County Women’s Football League. It too plays matches on a home and away basis and expects to grow its provision in future years.

For talented players, the nearest FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Leicester City Women’s FC which is located in Leicester. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads. The nearest Women’s Super League team is Leicester City Women’s 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 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 across the County are:

• Champions Soccer at St Margaret's Pastures
• Power Play at Brockington College
• Football Mundial at Harborough Town.

Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced, small sided team game that is widely played across the world. Typically it is played on an indoor surface with hockey-sized goals and a size 4 football with reduced ball bounce. It is the FA’s aim to ensure that futsal is available across the country.There are currently 106 futsal teams in Leicestershire and Rutland that play in the Leicestershire Futsal Fives Female and Male Leagues and the Leicestershire and Rutland Youth Futsal League at key site locations including Crown Hills Community College, Judgemeadow Community College, Babington Academy and Brockington College. It is a priority for the County FA to grow both affiliated and recreational futsal.

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 12 FA Just Play centres in Leicestershire and Rutland and the County FA is working towards having 15 in place by 2021. 16 walking football sessions are delivered at/by a range of community organisation including leisure centres, community centres and clubs. The County FA has prioritised walking football and Just Play for further growth. Other local recreational football programmes are primarily delivered through Leicester City Community Trust projects.

Informal football is played in local parks and green spaces – it is free, open access and often played spontaneously. Common examples include a kick-about at a local park or on a multi-use games area (MUGA).

Currently, informal football in Leicester is played at a number of open spaces across the city.

The key strengths of local football in Leicestershire and Rutland include the vibrant club structure and proven track record of investment into charter standard clubs. The overarching future football development priorities for Leicestershire and Rutland are:

1.Increasing access and provision of 3G Football Turf Pitches for training and match play.

2.Improving changing room facilities for adult football.

3.Improving or enhancing facilities to support women and girls football.

4.Proving appropriate facilities to support participants within our BAME communities.

5.Working with clubs and partners to provide access to appropriate high quality facilities.

6.Developing or enabling access to suitable facilities countywide to support the development of futsal.

7.Providing opportunities to support informal provision and recreational play.

The facilities required to assist this in Leicester 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 Leicester. 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 Football Turf Pitches (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.

There are six community available full-sized (11 v 11) 3G FTPs in Leicester. These are at:

• Aylestone Park FC (Linwood)
• Aylestone Recreation Ground
• Beaumont Park
• Judgemeadow College
• New College
• Riverside Football Ground

In addition, there are five small-sided 3G FTP centres in Leicester at:

• Fullhurst (one 9v9)
• Gateway College (one 5v5)
• Goals Soccer Centre (ten 5v5)
• Judgemeadow College (one 7v7)
• St Margarets (four 5v5)

There are two 3G FTPs at Beaumont Park, however, the second 3G FTP is predominately used for multi sport activities by the University, and therefore discounted from the supply.

Leicester's PPS indicates a shortfall of two full size 3G FTPs. It also notes that certain grass pitch sites are experiencing high training demand and should be considered for 3G.

As noted, all six pitches are available for community use and on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play).

The geographic spread of existing facilities is uneven with provision gaps in the north east and south west of the Authority despite the high levels of population and deprivation in this area. It is recommended that this is addressed, but further work is carried out to determine the most appropriate locations for those pitches by local partners. .

Local consultation reveals a requirement for more provision in the City to support the growing need for both affiliated and recreational football. Clubs which were part of the FIS have outgrown their current facilities, and those who were not part of the initial strategy require additional provision to accommodate demand. In addition, there are a number of community organisations which require smaller sided recreational provision to support key health and well-being programmes.

Two full sized 3G FTP priority projects for potential investment are identified. No specific sites are listed for the pitches although there will be a focus on areas where there is a shortfall in the provision of 3G FTPs and high levels of affiliated football demand.

The Authority is currently producing its Local Plan due for adoption in 2021, and has therefore expressed a preference that no specific sites be listed until consultation on the Plan is completed. However, related to each option, sites which have potential and may, following Local Plan adoption, be considered have been identified. (See Appendix A).

Playing fields are one of the most important resources for sport in England. All football players should have the opportunity to play on good quality grass pitches. However, FA data shows that 63% of pitches in England are poor / low quality and one in six games is cancelled. As such, poor pitch quality is consistently cited as the number one issue for players.

The priority is, therefore, to sustainably improve grass pitch quality across all main pitch owners (local authorities, education establishments and clubs). However, the level of maintenance required to obtain good quality standards is regularly affected by restricted budgets and limited knowledge/ training. Compaction and grass coverage are two key causes of poor quality pitches. Both are commonly treated via a maintenance driven solution (and do not necessarily require costly drainage schemes).

Playing fields are also a valuable resources for informal play and open-access sites are encouraged but, for many, problems such as dog fouling and vandalism mean that they need to be protected with mitigation measures such as fencing.

The key challenge is to create a sustainable approach to provide good quality football pitches for the long term. Most local authorities (78%) intend to increase pitch hire fees in the future. However, the majority of players (63%) believe facilities are already expensive and some (16%) believe prices are prohibitive. A sustainable solution should, therefore, carefully balance pitch quality and affordability.

While the education sector (37%) and local authorities (32%) are still the principal asset owners of grass pitches, clubs / leagues own or maintain an increasing share (currently 25%). Assets and opportunities have been considered across each sector.

Although large (3+ pitch) strategic sites are important and make up much of the project list within the LFFPs, this does not mean that other club, league and community/voluntary sites are not important or eligible for funding. These sites are key to the Football Foundation's Grass Pitch Programme to deliver 20,000 good quality pitches.

For more information click here.

PitchPower

The PitchPower app is the gateway to any grass pitch improvement funding. It is the tool that will allow clubs and organisations to complete pitch inspections and access funds.

If you haven't signed up and completed a PitchPower pitch inspection, you will need to do this before you can apply for the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund.

Learn more by clicking here.

There are currently 21 grass pitch sites in Leicester with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 97 grass pitches. Of these, five are considered to have pitches which are of good quality and 16 are rated standard or poor quality.

Local consultation confirms issues associated with poor quality drainage which need to be addressed.

Of the 21 key pitch sites referenced, 16 are prioritised for improvement. This will result in quality improvements to 59 pitches.

16 priority projects for potential investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by the PPS and ratified by local partners. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites rated as both poor or standard in the PPS.

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 21 key grass pitch sites in Leicester with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance) 18 have suitable changing rooms and three sites require improvement/replacement.

It should be noted that, under the auspices of the FIS, a number of changing rooms were upgraded. For example, Leicester Nirvana received new changing provision at Hamilton Park. This prior City Council led investment in changing provision is the reason for the low number of proposals submitted in this iteration of the City's LFFP.

Three priority projects for potential investment are 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 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.

Following local consultation no sites were identified for future investment to support recreational football in indoor facilities.

Local consultation has led to nine potential opportunities for MUGAs being identified. In each case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of high urban population with relatively high proportions of people from lower social economic groups and corresponding high local demand for informal football. In addition, all sites are linked to local organisations which currently deliver activities in the area and, for which, these facility improvements would enhance the community offer.

Sport England recreational football mapping suggests that in Leicester, there are ‘hotspot’ areas in terms of recreational football demand in the east and the south of the Authority. These hotspots correspond with the location of certain projects, including Spinney Hill Park, Eyres Monsell and Beaumont Leys which are proposed as possible new/refurbished facilities for small sided football.

Following local consultation no sites were identified for future investment to support recreational football in parks and open green spaces, however, further consultation is required to determine whether investment in to recreational football in parks is required.

A range of local agencies and larger (usually 10 plus team) local football clubs were invited to participate in the LFFP consultation. Those that contributed are listed below:

• Sport and Leisure Manager: Leicester City Council
• Grounds Maintenance: Leicester City Council
• Planning Officer: Leicester City Council
• Neighbourhood Engagement Manager: Leicester City Council
• Education: Leicestershire County Council
• Community Manager: Pink Lizzard
• Community Manager: Emerald Centre
• Engagement manager: Saffron Young People's Centre
• Community Manager: Leicestershire Police
• Community Manager: B-Inspired
• Project Officer: St Mathews Centre
• Facilities manager: Tudor Academy
• Regional Officer: Streetgames
• Club Secretary: Leicester Nirvana
• Club Secretary: Alyestone Park FC
• Club Secretary: GNG
• Club manager: Leicester Bharat FC
• Head of Sport: De Montfort University