Plans in for major hub to boost grassroots football

A leisure development specialist, in partnership with Derby City Council, has submitted plans to create a ‘football hub’ in the city.

Alliance Leisure and the city council want to create the scheme at Derby Racecourse to boost the sport at grassroots level.

The development aims to create a community hub with a café space and flexible community spaces.

It will also see new full-sized floodlit 3G pitches created, which will enhance the home of the Derby Junior Football League and the Derbyshire Girls and Ladies League hosting over 250 matches each weekend.

Improvements will be made to the existing site by increasing car parking spaces by over 200 and improving entry and exit to the site to significantly help traffic movement around the local neighbourhood.

The project is part of a national ‘Hubs’ programme led by the Premier League, the FA and the Government’s Football Foundation.

Its aim is to offer an alternative and sustainable solution to the long-term future for grassroots football.

It is anticipated that the new development of the Football Hub will support the increased demand in football in Derby as identified in the Playing Pitch Strategy.

Subject to planning consent being granted by the city council’s planning committee, work on the hub is set to start in early next year.

Councillor Jerry Pearce, the city council’s cabinet member for Streetpride, leisure and public spaces, said: “The aim of this scheme is to upgrade and improve facilities for grassroots football in Derby. We look forward to this next, important stage.”

Will Gardner, business development manager at Alliance Leisure, said: “We are looking forward to delivering this project by bringing together specialist partners who can create a relevant community asset for the local area.

“Alliance Leisure prides itself on delivering quality facilities and the Football Hub will be no exception.”