Local Football Facility Plan Surrey Heath

Surrey Heath is in the South East Region.

The current population of the authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 88,387. This is expected to rise to 93,768 by 2039.

Surrey Heath is ranked 61 out of 67 LAs in the region, and 320 out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

Surrey Heath's ethnic composition is primarily white (90.19%). This is higher than the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Surrey Heath’s population represented by the BAME community is 8.82%. This is below the national average (14.6%)

Local authority

The Surrey Heath Borough Council Five Year Strategy (2017-2022) is based around four key themes:

• Place - continued focus on the vision to make Surrey Heath an even better place to live. Clean, green and safe. Where people enjoy and contribute to a high quality of life and a sustainable future.
• Prosperity - to sustain and promote the local economy so that people can work and do business across Surrey Heath, promoting an open for business approach that attracts investment and complements our place.
• People - to build and encourage communities where people can live happily and healthily in an environment that the community is proud to be part of.
• Performance - to deliver effective and efficient services better and faster.

In relation to the People theme, the Strategy further highlights the priority to 'use our green space to deliver a programme of sport and leisure activities supporting community engagement with all people".

The Authority 2016 Playing Pitch Strategy key findings and stated overarching priorities identify a current shortfall of four full size 3G FTPs (calculated using the FA's previous training demand model 1:42). Further to this, it is identified that there is a shortfall of youth 11v11 and 9v9 grass pitches.

County football association

Surrey Heath is covered by Surrey 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). On occasion The Chelsea FC Foundation runs a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities within the local area.

Local leisure operator

There is a mixed economy of leisure operators involved in community football facilities in Surrey Heath. Management arrangements vary from school/academy-run venues (Tomlinscote Sport Centre), to Lifestyle Fitness's management of the Lightwater Leisure Centre.

Local consultation

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

• Surrey Heath Borough Council
• Camberley Town Youth FC
• Curley Park Rangers FC
• Mytchett Athletic 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. Surrey Heath has a total of 238 teams, which is higher than 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 Surrey Heath, five clubs have more than ten registered teams. These (based upon 2018-19 affiliation data) are:

• Camberley Town Youth FC - 45 teams
• Curley Park Rangers FC - 44 teams
• Mytchett Athletic FC - 29 teams
• Windlesham United Youth FC - 22 teams
• Frimley Green Boys & Girls FC - 11 teams

Leagues

Thirteen leagues serve clubs and teams in Surrey Heath. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, disability, youth and adults. While there is no specific league opportunity for disability football within Surrey Heath, suitable provision is made in neighbouring Elmbridge via the Surrey Football For All League. The largest of the local leagues (2018-19) include:

• North East Hants Development Youth FL – 73 teams– home and away
• North East Hants Competitive Youth FL – 35 teams– home and away
• Surrey Primary Youth League – 24 teams– home and away

The County FA reports low levels of cross boundary migration to/from Surrey Heath.

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 Surrey Heath there are two football teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the County FA to 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. Surrey Heath has two FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow and sustain this activity.

At eight, Surrey Heath’s number of female teams is comparable to local areas of a similar size. The County FA’s priority is to support existing clubs to grow and encourage more clubs to develop playing opportunities for females. The local girls’ league is the Surrey County Women & Girls 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 not in operation within Surrey currently, however a flexible small sided ladies league is played on a home and away basis. It too is expected to grow its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA regional talent clubs (RTCs) are Chelsea FC & Reading FC located in Kingston-upon-Thames and Reading respectively. 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 Chelsea 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. Power Play (Frimley Lodge Park) is a key local provider.

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 Surrey Heath. It is a priority for the County FA to grow the game for all 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 no FA Just Play centres in Surrey Heath. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such as Surrey Heath Borough Council. 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 Surrey Heath is played particularly in the south and west area of the local authority. Frimley Green Recreation Ground and Frimley Park Lodge are key well-sed site locations.

The key strengths of local football in Surrey Heath include affiliated youth provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, gaps in provision do exist, these include women’s & girls football and adult male. It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Surrey Heath are:

1. Female pathway – youth to adult
2. Adult male
3. 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 Surrey Heath. It identifies current issues and presents opportunities for improvements, including a list of priority projects for potential investment. Local assets and opportunities have been reviewed in line with four investment priorities:

• 3G FTPs
• Improved grass pitches
• Changing room pavilions / clubhouses
• Small sided facilities

To ensure a consistent and high quality approach, each local area has been reviewed applying a standard approach, supplemented by input from consultation with local partners and stakeholder organisations.

While investment priorities are 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 one full-size (11v11) 3G FTP in Surrey Heath - at Frimley Park Lodge. Additionally, there is one small-sided 3G FTP located at:

• Lightwater Leisure Centre (one 5v5) - in poor condition, further details are outlined below.

The following sites are already being planned without funding from the Football Foundation:

• Camberley Town FC (Crabtree Park) - the PPS highlights potential for one full size 3G FTP. The planning application for this expired in 2018, however, LFFP consultation identifies that the potential for a 3G FTP development is still being explored .
• Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut - The former MOD site has been identified as a site for housing development. Current plans for the site include development of grass sports pitches. Whilst a 3G FTP development is not included in current plans there is potential this may become an option in future years..
• St Augustine's Catholic Primary School - a 5v5 3G FTP 'dual use (football/rugby) is proposed at the school. The suggested location is at the south west end of the playing field on an area that is currently used for football. A community use programme is proposed.

As noted earlier, the Surrey Heath PPS (2016) indicates a current shortfall of four full size 3G FTPs, and a future shortfall of five. However, based upon a 1:38 ratio and 2018/19 FA affiliated total team numbers the assessed shortfall is six (rounded down from 6.2). For the purposes of the LFFP, the agreed shortfall has been set at four as the PPS provides a more robust evidence base. All existing full-size and small-sided 3G FTPs are available for community use.

The 3G FTP at Frimley Lodge Park Lodge is on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning it is quality checked and can be used for football match play). The existing community accessible venues are located in the west (Frimley), central area (Lightwater) areas of the local area meaning that there are provision gaps to be addressed in the Mytchett and Camberley areas as well as a need for further provision in Frimley to serve affiliated football demand and the significant local population. Local consultation reveals common issues with facility hire charges and the limited opportunity to train on 3G. Implementation of this plan will go some way to addressing this.

Two priority projects for potential investment are identified. Whilst these will not meet the identified full-sized 3G FTP shortfall (based on affiliated demand) it is recommended that future iterations of the plan address this if and when land/development opportunity becomes available. It should also be noted that the abovementioned non Football Foundation funded schemes will potentially have an impact on the supply and demand of 3G FTPs in the local area. Options proposed were selected based upon site availability and the need to service affiliated football and key settlements:

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 nine grass pitch sites in Surrey Heath with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 34 grass pitches. Of these sites, five are of standard quality and four have poor quality pitches. The Princes Royal Barracks, Deepcut is being developed without funding via the Football Foundation and there is, as noted above, potential for grass pitch development at this site.

Of the nine key pitch sites referenced above it was determined that six should be prioritised for improvements. This will result in quality improvements to 23 pitches:

Six priority projects for potential investment are identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by PPS and ratified by local partners. In general, prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites in poor condition and that are, or have the 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 nine key grass pitch sites in Surrey Heath with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but of strategic importance) seven have suitable changing rooms and two require improvement/replacement.

Two priority projects for potential investment are, thus, 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.

One potential opportunity for a MUGA is identified. It will serve an area of relatively high population which has corresponding high local demand for informal football.

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:

• Area Director (London & South East) - StreetGames
• Club representative - Camberley Town Youth FC
• Club representative - Curley Park Rangers
• Club representative - Mytchett Athletic
• Club representative - Windlesham United Youth
• Commercial & Community Development Manager - Surrey Heath Borough Council
• Engagement Manager - Football Foundation
• Football Development Manager - Surrey FA