Local Football Facility Plan South Lakeland

South Lakeland is in the North West Region.

The current population of the Authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 104,532. This is expected to fall to 101,833 by 2039.

South Lakeland is ranked 38 out of 39 LAs in the region, and 251 out of 317 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

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

The proportion of South Lakeland’s population represented by the BAME community is 2%. This is significantly below the national average (14.6%)

Local authority

The South Lakeland Council Local Plan vision is : “Working together to make South Lakeland the best place to live, work and explore”.

The Council is committed to delivering its vision by:

• working across boundaries to deliver sustainable communities
• creating balanced communities
• reducing inequalities so no one is left behind
• responding to the challenge of climate change

The local authority does not have current playing pitch strategy in place.

County football association

South Lakeland is covered by the Westmorland and Lancashire County FAs. They provide governance for, 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 that 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 South Lakeland.

Local leisure operator

GLL is the key leisure operator in South Lakeland. It currently runs sports centres in Kendal and Ulverston, the latter facility includes a sand-based pitch.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in South Lakeland. 15 individuals (representing 15 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• National Trust
• Kendal College
• A range of grass roots affiliated 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. South Lakeland has a total of 179 teams, which is comparable 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 South Lakeland six clubs have more than ten registered teams. These (based upon 2019-20 affiliation data) are:

• Wattsfield Youth - 27 teams
• Kendal United - 20 teams
• Grange United Youth - 13 teams
• Milnthorpe & District - 12 teams
• Heathwaite Youth - 11 teams
• Swarthmoor Social - 10 teams

Leagues

Five leagues cater for clubs and teams in South Lakeland. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, youth and adults. While there is no specific league opportunity for disability or veterans within South Lakeland suitable provision is made in neighbouring Lancashire and Cumberland

The largest of the local leagues (2019-2020) include:

• Kent Valley Junior Football – 79 teams– home and away
• James Cropper Westmorland League – 35 teams– home and away
• Express Plumbing Supplies South Lakes Girls League – 34 teams– home and away

The County FAs report some cross-boundary migration to/from South Lakeland due to teams playing 'across local authority borders' in all the leagues listed above.

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 South Lakeland there are four football teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the two County FAs 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. South Lakeland has 2 FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 33, South Lakeland’s number of female teams is comparable to local areas of a similar size. The County FAs priority is to support existing clubs to grow and encourage more clubs to develop playing opportunities for females. The local girls’ league is the Express Plumbing Supplies South Lakes Girls League in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It is expected to grow its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Blackburn Rovers in Lancashire. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads.

Westmorland County FA run Westmorland County FA Girls Player Development Programme. This brings together the most talented players from the South Lakeland region to train and compete at a high level giving them opportunities to progress in football.

Small sided football

Many different types of small-sided football are played in England, from teams and leagues to recreational and informal. It is an established and important part of the modern game.

Many different types of small-sided football are played in England, from teams and leagues to recreational and informal. It is an established and important part of the modern game.

Small-sided teams 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 the Westmorland County FA Futsal League.

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.

Currently 25 futsal teams in South Lakeland play in the Westmorland County FA Futsal League at key site locations including Queen Katherine School Sports Hall. It is a priority for the two county FAs to grow futsal for male, female and youth 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 are currently 3 FA Just Play centres in South Lakeland. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisations such as the County FA. 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 South Lakeland is played particularly in the central part of the local authority. Jubilee Playing Fields and Glebe Park are key well used site locations.

The key strengths of local football in South Lakeland include girls youth and futsal. It is recommended that this is sustained and encouraged to grow further. However, provision gaps do exist, these include affiliated veterans football and a central venue for leagues specifically for affiliated football. It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for South Lakeland are:

1. 3G FTP located in Kendal
2. Pitch improvements to key club sites
3. Additional indoor facility to accommodate futsal
4. Refurbishment of clubhouses at key club sites

The facilities required to assist this are now set out in the Assets and opportunities section.

In addition priority projects that progress to a funding application via the Football Foundation will produce detailed ‘site development plans’ specifying all football development activity, usage and key partner engagement.

This section reviews existing football facility assets in South Lakeland. 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 is 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 full-sized (11 v 11) 3G FTPs in South Lakeland are located at:

• Dallam School
• Mintbridge (Kendal RUFC)

As noted earlier, there is no current PPS and demand for full sized 3G FTPs has therefore been calculated using the FA training ratio model 1:38. On the basis that there are 179 teams in South Lakeland, there is a requirement for five full sized 3G FTPs. There are currently two so there is a shortfall of three.

The steering group agreed that, based on local demand, the priorities in respect of 3G FTPs should be to develop new 3G facilities in the Kendal and Ulverston area’s specifically, with a key emphasis on ensuring existing 3G full sized facilities at Mintbridge and Dallam are placed on the 3G register.

Consultation with the leisure operator GLL identified that a new 3G FTP may be developed alongside the existing sand based full sized AGP at Ulverston Leisure Centre. Ulverston Rangers would become the tenant club for this facility. In respect of Kendal meanwhile, the following site options have been identified. Each requires detailed further feasibility work in order to determine deliverability:

1. Kirkbie Kendal School. A Scheme previously mooted to install a 3G facility on grass pitches adjacent to the school (behind Kendal dojo) stalled at feasibility stage due to a lack of funding.
2. Site near Oxenholme with previous planning consent to develop grass pitches plus changing provision.
3. Kendal Town FC (stadia 3G).
4. Burneside – linked to adjacent housing growth.

NB: A further shortfall of one 3G FTP exists based on FA demand modelling. SLDC should fully scenario test the potential location(s) for this, alongside the Kendal and Ulverston proposals via production of a playing pitch strategy.

There are significant provision shortfalls in Kendal (the main settlement in South Lakeland) and it is also suggested that the case for a new 3G should be tested in Ulverston; the other principal town.

Local consultation confirms issues associated with limited 3G FTP availability for match play. The recommendations in this plan are designed to address this.

Three priority projects for potential investment are identified, comprising a full size 3G FTP in each of Kendal and Ulverston and a small sided (7v7) FTP in Windermere.

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 16 grass pitch sites in South Lakeland with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance),

Local consultation confirms common issues with poor pitch quality, limited availability and teams having to travel long travel distances to play.

Of the 16 key pitch sites referenced above it was determined that 11 should be prioritised. This will result in quality improvements to 15 pitches.

In addition, Westmorland County FA has identified several primary schools (Dean Gibson, Vicarage, St Oswalds, Stramongate, St Thomas’s, Heron Hill) as being likely to need support to improve their grass pitch facilities. Further assessment and development work is required to confirm the exact scope of required improvements.

Eleven priority projects for potential investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by the two County FAs. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites with pitches that are in the poorest condition linked to a strategic focus to improve provision to accommodate club and team play.

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 16 key grass pitch sites in South Lakeland with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three but deemed to be of strategic importance), 13 have suitable changing rooms and four require improvement/replacement.

In addition to these sites, the potential new 3G site in Kendal is also likely to require new changing provision.

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.

Two potential opportunities for MUGAs have been identified:

1. Glebe Park Bowness

Consultation identified with GLL identified that this facility, in a popular tourist location has heavy footfall and contains two tarmacadam tennis courts capable of conversion for small sided football and / or multi-sport use.

2. Grange over Sands

Consultation identified that the promenade area in Grange over Sands, including an art-deco lido is potentially being redeveloped. Potential for a small sided facility within the redevelopment exists in what is a popular tourist resort .

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:

• Active Communities Co-ordinator - Lunedale Sports Centre
• Partnership Manager - GLL
• Head of Sport - Kendal College
• Representative - Kendal Utd
• Representative - Ibis Youth FC
• Representative - Wattsfield Utd
• Representative - Endmoor FC
• Representative - Heathwaite Youth
• Representative - Ulverston Rangers FC
• PE Lead - Dallam School
• Business Manager - Queen Elizabeth School
• Business Manager - Kirkbie Kendal School
• Outdoor & Sports Programme Manager - National Trust
• CEO - Active Cumbria
• Planning Officer - South Lakeland DC