"Wanted for many years" - Planning submitted for new Stocksbridge 3G football pitch
The new 3G facility could be a major boost to grassroots football after a winter which for many teams was marred by postponements
A major milestone has been reached in Stocksbridge, with a planning application for a new all-weather 3G football pitch being formally submitted.
The proposed new facility at Bracken Moor Lane, which comes as part of a wider investment programme supported through the Stocksbridge Towns Fund, will provide a much-needed year-round sports facility for the town.
If planning permission is granted, the pitch will be used by community groups, Stocksbridge High School and both junior and senior teams connected to Stocksbridge Park Steels FC.
In a statement, the Stocksbridge Town Deal Team say that extensive technical work has been carried out to make sure the site is suitable for the proposed plans and to allow for the project to move forward to the planning stage.
The new 3G facility could be a major boost to grassroots football after a winter which for many teams was marred by postponements due to poor weather conditions and waterlogged pitches.
Throughout the winter months, many semi-professional footballers and Sunday league coaches have had to become accustomed to receiving texts such as ‘games off’ or ‘match cancelled’ - and in Stocksbridge it’s often led to many local youth and adult football teams being forced to travel outside the town for training sessions and matches.
Graham Silverwood, the Stocksbridge Towns Fund Board member responsible for sports projects, said: “This is a really important step forward for a project that the community has wanted for many years.
“The work to make sure the site is suitable has been complex, but it means we are now in a position to move ahead with delivering a modern all-weather facility that will benefit local people of all ages.
Graham Furness, Chairman of Stocksbridge Park Steels said: “Getting to this stage has taken a huge amount of work from everyone involved and we are pleased to see the planning application now submitted.
“The demand for an all-weather facility in Stocksbridge is clear. Local teams regularly lose training and playing time during the winter months, and this development will make a massive difference for players, coaches, schools, and community groups across the area. We look forward to progressing the project further once planning approval has been secured.”
This update comes as more good news to people of Stocksbridge after the cricket club were also given the green light to build a new pavilion at Bracken Moor.
Roger Gissing, Vice Chairman of Stocksbridge Park Steels, added: “It’s fantastic to see the project get to this stage and I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved so far.
“Hopefully this is the first milestone of many to come as we look to build a facility that benefits not just everyone at Stocksbridge Park Steels, but the town as a whole.”