Local Football Facility Plan Woking

Woking is in the South Region.

The current population of the Authority (ONS 2018 Mid-Year Estimate) is 101,167. This is expected to rise to 106,463 by 2039.

Woking is ranked 45 out of 67 LAs in the region, and 263 out of 317 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS).

Woking's ethnic composition is primarily white (84%). This is broadly comparable to the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Woking’s population represented by the BAME community is 16%. This is similar to the national average (14.6%).

Local Authority

Woking Borough Council’s vision is 'towards tomorrow today.' It is supported by a statement of intent about shaping the Authority's future, comprising of a number of aims under three key areas;

• People: a healthy inclusive and engaged community
• Place: an enterprising, vibrant and sustainable place
• Us: an innovative, proactive and effective Council

In order to create an enterprising, vibrant and sustainable place, the Authority aims to ensure all its leisure facilities and open green spaces are maintained to the highest of standards, supporting the needs of the local community.

The Council Playing Pitch Strategy was adopted in 2017. It states there is currently one full sized 3G FTP (at Winston Churchill School) and a shortfall of three. This calculation takes account of a number of small sided facilities.

County football association

Woking is covered by the 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 continue to expand and enhance their range of community delivery, offering a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). The Cardinals in the Community deliver a variety of football and sporting activities within the local area. It must be noted that it will also be managing the new full sized 3G FTP at Woking College once it opens in 2021.

Local leisure operator

Freedom Leisure is the key leisure operator in Woking. It currently operates key sites including Woking Leisure Centre (which has four 3G recreational cages) and Woking Sports Box (which has three 5v5 3G pitches).

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Woking. 10 individuals (representing 10 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• Woking Borough Council
• A number of clubs- see appendices
• Cardinals in the Community

(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. Woking has a total of 230 teams, a figure 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 Woking, six clubs have more than 10 registered teams. These are:

• Goldsworth Park Rangers - 42 teams
• Meadow Sports Boys - 35 teams
• Woking Cougars - 33 teams
• Woking Town - 18 teams
• Byfleet Village - 18 teams
• Mayford Athletic - 16 teams

Leagues

17 leagues cater for clubs and teams in Woking. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, youth and adults. While there is no specific league opportunity for disability football within Woking, suitable provision is made in nearby Elmbridge with the Surrey Football For All League. The most significant of the local leagues (2018-19) serving Woking include:

• Surrey Primary Youth League – 124 teams– home and away
• Surrey Youth League –34 teams– home and away
• Surrey County Women’s & Girls League – 18 teams– home and away

The County FA reports significant cross boundary migration to/from Woking due to teams playing in a number of different leagues which have teams based in neighbouring authorities.

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 Woking there are nine 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. Woking has three FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 13, Woking’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 and Girls League in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It is expected to grow provision in future years. The local adult female league is not in operation currently but there is a flexible small sided 7v7 ladies league in which matches are played on a home and away basis. It too is expected to grow in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Chelsea FC located in Elmbridge. 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. Key local providers include:

• Power Play – Winston Churchill School.
• Power Play – Woking Leisure Centre.

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 three futsal teams in Woking; they play in friendly fixtures at key site locations including Hazelwood Centre (London Irish Training Ground). It must be noted that Woking Leisure Centre is a designated futsal site. It is a priority for the County FA to grow futsal 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 Woking. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisations such as Freedom Leisure and Cardinals in the Community. Walking football and Just Play are County FA priorities for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include pro-club community scheme activity and casual bookings are delivered by a range of organisations including Cardinals in the Community.

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 Woking is played at a number of sites across the local authority, including Alpha Recreational Ground.

The key strengths of local football in Woking include junior male football, disability provision and walking football opportunities and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However, there are aspects of football provision that do not reflect provision levels in authorities of a similar size, these include adult female football and recreational opportunity. It is, thus, recommended that the future football development priorities for Woking are to:

1. Maintain the growth in junior and senior adult football.
2. Grow the number of female teams
3. Sustain the development of disability provision
4. Increase the number of recreational opportunities, including Just Play centres.

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

Each 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 (add local area). 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 area is 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.

The national ‘Mini Pitch’ programme delivers small 3G FTPs at primary school sites to provide a high quality introduction to football and get children more physically active. While mini pitches are reviewed in this section, they are not included in the demand and supply analysis for 3G FTPs.

The one full-sized (11 v 11) 3G FTP in Woking is located at Winston Churchill School. There are also four small-sided 3G FTP centres at:

• Woking High- one 9v9 3G FTP (0.75)
• How Valley School/Woking Sports Box (three 5v5 3G FTPs (0.75)
• Loop Road- one 5v5 3G FTP (0.25)
• Woking Leisure Centre- recreational courts

Two upcoming projects have been approved. These are:

• A full sized Football Foundation funded 3G FTP will be operational from February 2021 at Woking College. It will be available on a dual use basis (the College and the local community), and be managed by Cardinals in the Community. Partners clubs for the site will be Woking Tigers, Woking Cougars and Goldsworth Park Rangers.
• Over the next two years, the area of Sheerwater is to be regenerated. One project will be Eastwood Leisure Centre, a new facility (incorporating a full-sized 3G FTP) linked to Bishop David Brown School/Broadmere Primary Academy. This project will not require any Foundation funding, and will support a number of clubs, including Sheerwater FC.

Woking does not have an 'in date' PPS so demand for 3G FTP provision has been calculated using the FA training ratio model 1:38. On the basis that there are 230 teams, there is a requirement for six full sized 3G FTPs. There are currently 2.75 full sized 3G FTP equivalents (a combination of full sized and small sized facilities) and the shortfall is, thus, 3.25 full sized 3G FTPs. This reduces to 1.25 full sized 3G pitch equivalents due to the two projects listed above. (The recreational courts at Woking Leisure Centre are not acknowledged as part of the total supply as they do not accommodate match play)

All pitches listed above are available for community use and the pitches at Winston Churchill School and Woking Sports Box are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play). It is strongly recommended that the two remaining sites (which can accommodate match play football) are assessed and placed on the register to enable more current match play on 3G.

Although the geographic spread of existing facilities is even, demand exceeds supply particularly in the town of Woking and to the north, in Sheerwater/West Byfleet. For example, clubs such as Meadow Sports Club and Old Wokingians are currently restricted to sharing a small 5v5 3G FTP at Loop Road Recreational Ground, which is not practical considering the combined team number for the two is c.40. It is therefore recommend that additional facilities in the town of Woking are considered to accommodate such clubs.

Two priority projects for potential investment are identified based primarily upon the need to meet demand from affiliated football clubs.

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.

In many local areas the key challenge is to create a sustainable approach to provide good quality football pitches for the long term. a substantial proportion of 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 11 grass pitch sites in Woking with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 37 grass pitches. Of these 11, three are considered to have good quality pitches while pitches at the other eight are of either basic or poor quality.

Of the 11 key pitch sites referenced above it was determined that eight should be prioritised. In addition, AFC Brooklands has submitted a planning application to convert a former equestrian centre to a new football site which will require Foundation funding, resulting in nine projects being identified for investment - affecting improvements to 24 pitches.

Nine priority projects for potential investment have been identified. Pitch quality rating was evidenced by the PPS and ratified by local partners. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites with pitches that are presently in standard or poor condition.

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 11 key grass pitch sites in Woking with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three but of strategic importance) five have suitable changing rooms, four require improvement/replacement and two have no facilities and require a new pavilion. In addition, the new site proposed for AFC Brooklands will require a new changing facility, resulting in a need for a total of three new changing facilities.

Seven 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 reveals that, at present, no indoor facilities require improvement to develop small sided football.

Two potential opportunities to develop MUGAs are identified. In each case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of substantial population, with relatively high proportions of people from lower social economic groups and high local demand for informal football. Cardinals in the Community (Woking FC) would deliver engagement activity to promote recreational football at these sites as/when they receive investment.

Local consultation reveals that there are no parks and open green spaces that require improvement to develop small sided 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:

• Woking Borough Council
• Meadow Sport club,
• Mayford Athletic,
• Goldsworth Park Juniors,
• Sheerwater FC,
• Woking Town FC,
• Woking FC,
• CITC,
• Woking Tigers,
• AFC Brooklands.
• Byfleet Village