Council agrees to put forward up to £300,000 to help build a new all-weather pitch

The council has agreed to put forward up to £300,000 to help build a new all-weather pitch at a town school.

Wychavon District Council’s executive board backed a request by Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham to help pay for a new 3G pitch at its site in Victoria Avenue.

The project, which at the moment will cost around £600,000, would be funded partly by the council’s contribution and £300,000 from the Football Foundation – the charity responsible for channelling government, FA and Premier League money into grass roots football.

The council said existing section 106 money – money handed over from housing developers to help pay for community infrastructure such as roads, parks and schools – is tied up with proposed new cycling hub at Evesham Football Club.

Cllr Martin King, portfolio holder for finance and investment, said building another new all-weather pitch would help meet the council’s health and wellbeing priorities.

“It adds to the range of 3G pitches across Wychavon,” he said.

“We’ve already got them in Droitwich, Evesham and Pershore and this will enhance provisions in Evesham and it also adds towards meeting our priorities in terms of health and wellbeing and offering a range of facilities across the district.”

Cllr Rob Adams, portfolio holder for stronger communities, culture and sport, said: “The South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) review identified a need for more pitches in Evesham and we have identified Prince Henry’s school as somewhere we could bring about a pitch.

“This isn’t just for the school, it’s actually for the communities around Evesham that can book and use that pitch. It is for everybody in that area.”

At the same executive board meeting last Wednesday (March 23), councillors agreed to put forward almost half a million pounds extra to help pay for the state-of-the-art facility.

A sports pitch strategy, which has bene produced alongside the review of the county’s key planning blueprint the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP) has said another new all-weather 3G pitch is needed in the Wychavon district – in spite of the facilities at Evesham Football Club and Droitwich Leisure Centre.