Part of the £24 million re-development of leisure facilities at Grange Paddocks, the pitch will cover an area of over 7,000 square metres, will be constructed using organic materials and marked out to accommodate football for all ages including tots, mini, youth and over 18’s. Solar panels, on the roof of the leisure centre, will help provide lighting to make the facility available all year round for evening games and training.
Welcoming the news, Cllr Eric Buckmaster, Executive Member for Wellbeing at East Herts Council said:
“Sport and physical activity are vitally important and I am delighted this new modern 3G pitch facility will be available with year round access at Grange Paddocks later this year.
“We have worked hard to address concerns raised by Herts Ecology relating to sound and light impacts on residents and they are now satisfied with the mitigation measures that will be put in place.
“The Environment Agency were also concerned about drainage and objected to the use of rubber crumb on the surface because of the associated cleaning chemicals and concerns around micro plastics entering the nearby river; but we have now agreed to use alternative organic materials with which they are satisfied and will be putting a drainage management plan in place.
“I’m delighted that the vision for a new modern 3G pitch in Bishop’s Stortford has been granted planning permission and we can now move forward with construction and have the facility open in time for the football season in September.”
Everyone Active, who manages Grange Paddocks leisure facilities, will co-ordinate bookings for use of the new 3G pitch. Details will be released later in the year. Any club or organisation wishing to express an interest at this stage should contact grangepaddocks-pitches@everyoneactive.com.
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