Up to six football ‘playzones’ in offing as council bids for charity cash
Six new football-based ‘playzones’ could be created in Redcar and Cleveland at a cost of more than £1.6m.
Redcar and Cleveland Council is bidding to secure funding from the Football Foundation for the outdoor facilities to be located in Eston, Grangetown, Guisborough, Marske, Dormanstown and on the Lakes Estate, in Redcar, with the potential for a seventh in Saltburn.
The charity describes playzones as safe, inclusive and accessible outdoor facilities that bring communities together to be active through football and a range of other sports and activities.
The programme aims to create modern activity spaces and help tackle inequalities in disadvantaged communities.
A report approved by the council’s cabinet described how each playzone could cost up to £275,000 each with the Football Foundation footing 75 per cent of the costs for their design and construction.
The report said the remaining 25 per cent for each playzone had been agreed in principle to be met by the council from its internal and external funding.
Once constructed, the playzones would be leased to an “appropriately skilled” tenant, who would be responsible for overseeing their management and maintenance.
An online booking system would also be in use for people wishing to hire the facilities.
The report said the council would reserve “step in rights” in respect of leases should any grant conditions not be complied with thereafter, thus risking the clawing back of any funding.
The investment will focus on increasing opportunities for women and girls to be more active, along with people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, diverse ethnic communities and residents on low incomes.
It would also align with the council’s wish to get people to “move more” and take the first steps to more active lifestyles.
The report said: “The development of PlayZones will continue to support the ambition of the council to enable and facilitate opportunities for everyone to be as physically active as they can be.
“PlayZones will also make a positive impact on strategic priorities around leisure and reduce inactivity.”
It said consultation with local communities would “underpin” the design of the new facilities.
No timescale was given for the funding bid.
In September the council’s cabinet gave the green light for MFC Foundation plans to build a new sports venue on the local authority-owned Ben Scott field site in Loftus.
It too is subject to successful funding from the Football Foundation.
A figure of about £3m has been slated for the proposed development, which it is hoped would be used by about 5,000 people annually.
An old changing cabin is to be replaced with a building housing a sports pavilion with new changing facilities, toilets and showers.
A previous planning application described the addition of a 3G artificial pitch with a new access road to be built and 54 new parking spaces.
