The Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham Football Club are delighted to announce work will begin next month on a new state-of-the-art 3G pitch.
Contractors are due to start building the all-weather 3G football facility at Youngs Park, in Aylsham, on March 4 after a recent grant offer of £543,816 from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.
This follows last year’s grant award offer of £250,000 from the Greater Norwich Growth Board (GNGB) through the Infrastructure Investment Fund.
Construction of the J B Postle 3G Arena, which will be available for use by the wider community and surrounding villages, is scheduled to take around 14 weeks to complete.
Ian Potter, football club chairman and trustee (The Youngs Community Sports Trust), said he was delighted by the progress of the project.
“It’s exciting to start the building phase in March, two months ahead of schedule, and this means it will be ready for use earlier than we expected,” said Ian.
Youngs Park was opened in November 2015 and is the home of Aylsham FC, Norfolk FA Schools and a diverse range of community groups who use the facility every week.
Growth of over 70% in football teams and groups since opening – increasing demand to expand our offering for women and girls, walking, wellbeing and recreational football – represents a compelling case for funding of the 3G facility, which will be illuminated by LED lights and surrounded by a four-metre-high fence.
Ian added: “The start of this work is part of an ongoing journey to ensure we develop and maintain the very best in football, health and wellbeing facilities – creating legacy for our community. This investment is only possible because of the compelling story surrounding our journey, due to the hard work of all the volunteers at the football club and Youngs Park who make this is a special place.”
The 3G pitch will be built alongside the existing floodlit main pitch at Youngs Park.
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.
“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.
“This grant award to The Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham FC towards developing a 3G pitch is fantastic news for the local community and will help give more people access to a great place to play.”
Cllr Kay Mason Billig, Chair of the GNGB and leader of Norfolk County Council, said: “The Greater Norwich Growth Board is delighted that it’s grant award offer of £250,000 to Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham Football Club has resulted in further funding for the area.
“Projects like this are a testament to the collaborative spirit of the local community and stakeholders who are passionate about residents and community groups with a quality facility where they can explore recreational opportunities.”
The announcement of the start date for the 3G pitch project at Youngs Park was also welcomed by the Norfolk Football Association.
Ian Grange, Head of Facilities and Deputy CEO at Norfolk FA, said: “I was delighted to hear the news that The Youngs Community Sports Trust and Aylsham Football Club have been successful in their funding application to the Football Foundation to build a state-of-the-art 11v11 3G pitch at Youngs Park.
“This funding, together with significant capital investment already secured via the Greater Norwich Growth Board, delivers a 3G pitch which enables strategic growth of football participation within the football club and from around the surrounding locality – from both an affiliated game and recreational game perspective.
“The new 3G pitch will be accessible seven days a week and will be a conduit to drive an increase in female football, disability football and walking football, as well as catering for a wide range of community-based programmes. “This project shows what can be achieved when key stakeholders work together and I pass my sincere thanks to all organisations who have enabled this fantastic project to become a reality.”
