Local Football Facility Plan Malvern Hills

Malvern Hills is in the West Midlands region.

The current population of the authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 77,165. This is expected to rise to 84,411 by 2039.

Malvern Hills is ranked 20 out of 30 LAs in the region, and 190 out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

Malvern Hills' ethnic composition is primarily white (98%). This is higher than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Malvern Hills' population represented by the BAME community is 2%. This is below the national average (14.6%).

Local authority

The South Worcester Development Plan (SWDP) is a planning framework jointly prepared by the three authorities of Malvern Hills, Wychavon and Worcester City. It forms the heart of the new Local Development Framework and contains the long-term vision and objectives for South Worcestershire. The SWDP identifies three significant urban extensions to Worcester City whereby a large part of the area's housing requirement will be delivered within Malvern Hills and Wychavon districts. This includes significant development of new neighbourhoods at West Worcester (2500+ homes in Malvern Hills) and South Worcester (2500+ homes in Malvern Hills and Wychavon) as well as new homes in North East Malvern (circa 850 homes). Together these three developments are likely to generate an increase in demand for football facilities in Malvern Hills and the border areas, with significant new playing field sites planned at all three. Although the majority of this sport and recreation provision is to be delivered within Malvern Hills the relationship with, and demand from, all three authorities needs to be considered.

The Authority Playing Pitch Strategy was undertaken in conjunction with Worcester City and Wychavon; the South Worcestershire PPS was adopted in 2016. The key findings and stated overarching priorities are to: increase the level of full-sized (11v11) 3G FTP provision in the City, improve the quality of grass pitches at key sites via improved maintenance regimes and to maximise opportunities for investment into outdoor sports provision which will arise from significant future housing growth to be delivered through the urban extensions to Worcester.

County Football Association

Malvern Hills is covered by the Worcestershire 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 offer a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). There is no active CCO in Malvern Hills.

Local leisure operator

There are two external leisure operators for community football facilities in Malvern Hills. They operate the following sites with football provision:

• Sport Dyson Perrins Leisure Centre (Freedom Leisure) - 4-court sports hall. Full size 3G FTP and grass pitch provision also available onsite operated directly by Dyson Perrins High School.
• Sport Martley Leisure Centre (freedom Leisure) - 4-court sports hall.
• The Upton Hill Community Centre (YMCA Worcestershire) - two full size football pitch equivalents.
• Malvern Vale Community Centre (YMCA Worcestershire) - two full size football pitch equivalents.

Indoor sports facilities are made available to the community during out of school hours at a number of dual use sites at private schools and at all secondary school sites across the District - as part of the Council's leisure provision. Most have accompanying outdoor pitch provision which is managed by the schools themselves.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a diverse set of community groups in Malvern Hills. Twelve individuals (representing 12 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• Worcestershire YMCA
• Kempsey Parish Council
• Tenbury High Ormiston Academy

(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. The Malvern Hills area has a total of 108 teams, which is comparable to local areas of a similar size.

The FA is investing to support clubs both on and off the pitch which includes an aim to have a qualified FA coach with every youth team by 2020/21. In addition, it will support 1,000 clubs to create full player pathways from youth to adult teams and develop 150 community football hubs with male and female pathways, disability and recreational playing opportunities.

Over the last 10-years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In Malvern Hills, five clubs have more than 10 registered teams. These (based upon 2017-18 affiliation data) are:

• Welland Junior - 31 teams
• West Worcester Youth - 22 teams
• Leigh and Bransford - 22 teams
• Newtown Sports Juniors - 17 teams
• Kempsey Colts - 11 teams

Leagues

One main league operates in Malvern Hills. It offers competitive opportunities for many different players, including girls and youth. While there is no specific league opportunity for adult, disability and female football in Malvern Hills, suitable provision is made in neighbouring Worcestershire local authorities.

The key local league (2018/19) is Mercian Fortis Junior Football League – 170 teams– home and away

The County FA reports that there is low level cross boundary migration in Malvern Hills due to teams migrating outwards to the Birmingham area.

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 Malvern Hills 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 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. Malvern Hills has three FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At five, Malvern Hills’ 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 Mercian Fortis League in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It is expected to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Midwest Counties League in which matches are also played on a home and away basis. It too is expected to sustain its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is West Bromwich Albion located in the Birmingham County FA area. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads. The most local Women’s Super League team is Birmingham City 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. A key local providers is Soccer Sixes at Dyson Perrins High School

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 no futsal teams in Malvern Hills. It is a priority for the County FA to grow futsal for male, female, youth and adult players.

Recreational football

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

There is currently no FA Just Play centre in Malvern Hills. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Dyson Perrins Leisure Centre. Walking football and Just Play are County FA priorities for further growth and development.

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 Malvern Hills is played particularly in the west of the local authority around more densely populated settlements such as Malvern Town and Great Malvern.

The key strengths of local football in Malvern Hills include female and youth provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, gaps in provision do exist, these include disability and recreational football.

It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Malvern Hills are:

1. Disability
2. Recreational football

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 Malvern Hills. 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 inl ine 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.

There is just one full sized (11 v 11) 3G FTP in Malvern Hills at Dyson Perrins CE Academy. There is also one small-sided non-floodlit 5v5 3G FTP located at the Jewry Field (Martley Recreation Association).

Football Foundation funding was recently secured for the conversion of the grass stadium pitch at Langland Stadium (Malvern Town FC) to a new full sized 3G FTP. The scheme is already underway and will be delivered during the early part of the 2019/20 season. It also includes development of a new pavilion to service the increased community use, especially for training.

The Malvern Hills PPS was undertaken in 2015 (adopted 2016) in conjunction with other South Worcestershire authorities Wychavon and Worcester City. It indicated that a second full sized 3G FTP was required, representing a shortfall of one.

However, on the basis that there are 108 teams in Malvern Hills in 2018/19, based upon the revised FA ratio, there is a requirement for three full sized 3G FTPs. As noted above, there is currently one full sized 3G FTP in the District with a second being developed - the shortfall is, thus, one full sized 3G FTP. Local consultation has, however, led to a plan recommendation that the development of two small-sided 3G FTPs is preferable to offer greater spread and accessibility across the remainder of the District which is largely rural.

Present proposals for new playing field provision at the West Worcester Urban Extension include the development of a full size 3G FTP and accompanying grass football pitches, alongside new indoor build sports provision as part of a significant new sporting offer. The scheme is not likely to be delivered for several years yet and will have a long-term impact on supply and demand rather than reducing the current shortfall. There may however be opportunity for partnership funding to in future supplement what is presently planned for the site, depending on the changing landscape, needs and opportunities for football at the time.

The existing 3G FTP at Dyson Perrins CE Academy is available for community use and is on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (it is quality checked and can be used for football match play).

Local consultation reveals common issues with limited availability and long travel times for teams based in rural areas. The geographic spread of existing facilities is uneven, favouring the more densely populated Malvern Town area. There are provision gaps in other areas of the Authority and it is recommended that these are progressively addressed.

The Tenbury area is somewhat isolated with regards to access to other facilities in the District. Consideration was given to the area having potential for a 3G FTP, however levels of demand in the area are not sufficient to sustain provision at present. This should be reviewed in future in the event of growth in demand.

Two priority projects for potential investment are identified. These were selected based upon the rationale of seeking to meet provision gaps in the more rural parts of the District:

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, 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 12 grass pitch sites in Malvern Hills with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 33 grass pitches. Of these 12 sites, nine are assessed to have pitches of standard quality and at three they are of poor quality.

In addition to the 12 grass pitch sites identified above, there is to be a brand new site; Pixham Ferry Lane at which new pitches are planned for development through Section 106 funding. This is subject to land transfer yet to be completed, with development of new sports provision expected within the next 2-3 years.

Of the 13 key pitch sites referenced, nine are prioritised for improvement. This will result in quality improvements to 19 pitches:

Nine priority projects for potential investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by PPS and ratified by local partners. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting larger sites that are, or have he potential to be, best-utilised:

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 12 key grass pitch sites in Malvern Hills with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but of strategic importance) six have suitable changing rooms, four require improvement/replacement and one has no facilities and requires new changing rooms. Temple Laugherne does not have changing provision but is not presently recorded as being used for community football and therefore is not considered to require new provision.

In addition to the 12 sites noted above, the brand new site; at Pixham Ferry Lane will also require new changing and toilet facilities - provided within a wider use community centre building.

Five 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.

Local consultation indicates that no indoor facilities presently require improvement to develop small sided football.

Local consultation reveals one potential opportunity to develop a MUGA at Victoria Park. In this case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of relatively high population density and corresponding high local demand for informal football. Better MUGA provision for informal football at this site would complement existing grass pitch provision and other informal recreation provision including an onsite skatepark and play area.

Following local consultation, and assisted by the Sport England green spaces mapping tool no locations have been identified to support small sided informal football.

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:

• Football Development Manager - Worcestershire FA
• Engagement Manager - Football Foundation
• Planning Manager - Sport England
• Contracts & Development Manager - Malvern Hills District Council
• Chief Executive Officer - Sports Partnership Herefordshire & Worcestershire
• Facility Relationship Manager - England Hockey
• Kempsey Colts
• Leigh and Bransford Badgers
• Wellend FC
• Tenbury United
• Newtown Sports Junior FC
• Tenbury Town Council
• Tenbury High Ormiston Academy
• Kempsey Parish Council
• Chantry School
• Worcestershire YMCA