Help us develop plans and secure funds for new and improved sports pitches, says Fenland District Council

Proposals are being worked up for four small multi-sport pitches in Fenland and there’s a call from the district council to help by completing a survey to shape the plans.

Fenland District Council is working with the Premier League, The FA, and Government’s Football Foundation on proposals to improve, or create from scratch, new game areas for multiple sports called Playzones.

The council must submit evidence of how the pitches will be used to secure funds from the Football Foundation PlayZones Programme and ensure the right facilities go in the right places.

Depending on the finish chosen, which would be partially decided based on survey results, PlayZones can be used for multiple sports, potentially including recreational football, netball, cricket, basketball, hockey, and rugby. PlayZones are fenced and floodlit.

Cllr Alex Miscandlon, the council’s portfolio holder for leisure, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to get some new and improved sports areas.

“We’ve chosen the proposed locations carefully based on land that can be made available for them, where we think there’ll be valuable to local communities and sites that we believe can meet the funding criteria.

“We now want to hear from our communities to help us show the appetite for these facilities and help us decide the correct surfaces to use if they go ahead to make them as useful as possible for the sports and activities people want to use them for.”

The sites being considered are:

 March, Estover Playing Fields, Estover Road, PE15 8SF. A new 20m x 30m PlayZone, likely next to the existing sports courts.

 Whittlesey, Manor Leisure Centre, Station Road, PE7 1UA. A new 20m x 30m PlayZone in the grounds of the leisure centre.

 Wisbech, Barton Road Playing Field, PE13 1LE. A new build 20m x 30m PlayZone, likely near the pavilion.

 Wisbech, Lime Avenue green area, PE13 3LJ. A replacement of the existing facilities.

The district council is asking anyone with an interest in the proposed new pitches to complete a survey at: www.fenland.gov.uk/PlayZonesSurvey

Paper copies are also available on request from bookings@activefenland.gov.uk

People have until 23:59 on Sunday, September 8, to complete the survey.

Results of the surveys will help shape the funding application put forward to the Football Foundation and the surfaces of pitches applied for.

The PlayZones will be subject to usual planning rules and will only go-ahead if required planning permission is secured.