Local Football Facility Plan South Northamptonshire

South Northamptonshire is in the East Midlands Region.

The current population of the authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 92,515. This is expected to rise to 102,781 by 2039.

South Northamptonshire is ranked 39th out of 40 LAs in the region, and 317th out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

South Northamptonshire's ethnic composition is primarily white (97%). This is significantly higher than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of South Northamptonshire’s population represented by the BAME community is 3%. This is significantly below the national average (14.6%)

Local authority

The South Northamptonshire Council Local Plan (pt2) covers the period to 2029 and commits it 'to facilitate tourism and leisure related growth creating a distinct offer within South Northamptonshire'.

The Authority Playing Pitch Strategy was adopted in 2018. The key recommendations are to:

• Retain and improve the stock of AGPs to enable more teams to train on improved quality 3G surfaces.
• Provide additional grass pitch space around Towcester (around 6 hectares).
• Provide a full size 3G FA Registered FTP in Towcester in the short-medium term,and at Brackley in the medium-longer term

It should be noted that , as part of a reorganisation of current Northamptonshire Local Authority boundaries, South Northamptonshire District Council will be subsumed into a larger West Northamptonshire unitary authority alongside Daventry and Northampton with a 'go live' date of April 2021. Future versions of the LFFP should therefore reflect the revised Local Authority boundaries.

County football association

South Northamptonshire is covered by the Northamptonshire 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). The Northampton Town FC community trust runs a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities within the local area .

Local leisure operator

The main public leisure facilities in South Northamptonshire (Towcester and Brackley leisure centres) are run by Legacy Leisure; a not for profit charitable trust.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in South Northamptonshire. 13 individuals (representing 11 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• Brackley Town FC
• Northamptonshire Active Partnership
• Silverstone Racers FC

(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 Northamptonshire has a total of 237 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 South Northamptonshire, 11 clubs have more than 10 registered teams. These (based upon 2019-20 affiliation data) are:

• Towcester Town – 27 teams
• Deanshanger Colts & Athletic – 19 teams
• Roade FC – 19 teams
• Brackley Town – 18 teams
• Northampton Grange Park Rangers – 18 teams
• Bugbrooke St Michaels - 18 teams
• Blisworth FC – 15 teams
• Brackley Athletic – 15 teams
• Silverstone Racers – 15 teams
• Middleton Cheney – 13 teams
• Halse United – 10 teams

Leagues

Four leagues operate in South Northamptonshire. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including mini soccer, youth male, youth female, adult male and adult female. These (2019-20) are:

• Northamptonshire Combination League (step 7) – 63 teams – home and away
• Northamptonshire Sunday Combination veterans – 18 teams – home and away
• Nene Sunday League – 53 teams – home and away
• Northamptonshire Women & Girls League – 81 teams – home and away

The County FA reports some cross-boundary migration to/from South Northamptonshire due to teams playing in neighbouring Northampton.

Disability football

There are 9.4million people in England with a long-standing limiting disability, illness or condition which equates to 18% of the population – almost one in five. Football playing opportunities should be flexible, inclusive and accessible for everyone, whatever their level of ability. This could entail inclusion in mainstream activity or teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability.

It is a priority of the County FA to grow and sustain 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. There are four FA Wildcats girls football centres in the area (Blisworth, Brackley, Towcester and Roade) and the priority is to grow and sustain this activity.

At 17, South Northamptonshire’s number of female teams is lower than 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 Macron Northamptonshire Women and Girls Football League caters for both women and girl's football and matches are played on a home and away basis by both. It is expected to grow and sustain provision for women and girl's club football in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Leicester City FC. 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 (WSL). It and Leicester City Women (WC) both provide 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.

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 is currently no futsal team in South Northamptonshire. It is a priority for the County FA to grow and sustain 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 are currently two FA Just Play centres in South Northamptonshire. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation including South Northamptonshire Council. Walking football and Just Play are County FA priorities for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include casual bookings on 3G and sand-based artificial turf pitches.

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 Northamptonshire is played particularly in the central and north part of the authority area.

The key strengths of local football in South Northamptonshire include large numbers of affiliated mini soccer, youth and adult football teams playing in large Charter Standard Football Clubs. It is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, there are aspects of football provision that are lower than local authorities of a similar size, such as the lack of disability provision.

It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for South Northamptonshire are:

1. High quality introduction to football – male, female, disability, futsal
2. Develop clubs and leagues – charter standard, safeguarding and respect
3. Embrace all formats, engage all participants
4. Recruit, develop and support the workforce
5. Develop sustainable football facilities

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

Additionally, 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 South Northamptonshire. 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 one full-sized (11 v 11) 3G FTP in South Northamptonshire is located at Willison Sports Centre (Deanshanger 100m x 63m short pile). There are also three small-sided 3G FTPs at:

• Towcester Centre For Leisure (65m x 30m)
• St James's Park (Brackley Town) (60m x 40m)
• The Gateway School (45m x 35m)

The 2018 South Northamptonshire PPS indicates a shortfall of one full sized 3G FTP.

In addition to the shortfall the FTP surface at Deanshanger, which was installed in 2005, needs to be replaced.

All pitches are available for community use but none are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they have not been quality checked with reference to their use for football match play). Should the 3G FTP at Deanshanger be resurfaced with a long-pile surface, it is recommended that it is placed on the Register.

South Northants is a sparsely populated district. Its largest town (Brackley, population c.13,000) is not currently served by a full sized 3G FTP. There is, however, a 60 x 40m pitch at Brackley Town FC (St James's Park).

Two priority projects for investment are identified; at Brackley Leisure Centre and Towcester (The Bell Plantation).

Given that the Bell Plantation project will subject to significant further feasibility and business planning, it should be noted that an alternative option for Towcester has been suggested - at Sponne School (assuming that appropriate community access can be brokered).

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 13 grass pitch sites in South Northamptonshire with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 43 grass pitches.

In addition to the 13 grass pitch sites identified, there are brand new sites at Towcester (Bell Plantation) and Heyford Playing Fields that will require pitch investment.

Of the 13 key sites referenced it was determined that five should be prioritised - plus the two new sites at the Bell Plantation and Heyford Playing Fields. This will result in quality improvements to (or development of new) pitches totalling 18:

Seven priority projects are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by PPS and ratified by local partners.

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 13 key grass pitch sites in South Northamptonshire with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three but deemed to be of strategic importance) ten have suitable facilities, one requires refurbishments and four require new changing rooms.

In addition, the new site at the Bell Plantation, Towcester will also require a new build pavilion.

Six priority projects for 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, at present, no indoor facilities require improvement to develop small sided football.

One potential opportunity for MUGA development is identified. This is based on a Northants Active Partnership identified ‘hotspot’ area for increasing participation among older population and people with disabilities. Although the exact location / facility requirements are to be determined the broad geographic focus would be Kings Sutton / Blisworth.

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:

• Representative - Halse United FC
• Representative - Middleton Cheney FC
• Representative - Roade FC
• Representative -Silverstone Racers Football Club
• Representative - Towcester Town FC
• Representative - Blisworth FC
• Representative - Brackley Town Juniors
• Representative - Brackley Town FC
• Representative - Nether Heyford PFA
• Partnership Director - Northamptonshire Active Partnership
• School Sport Manager – South Northants and Daventry - Northamptonshire Active Partnership
• Assistant Director - South Northamptonshire Council
• Leisure Facilities and Contracts Manager - South Northamptonshire District Council