Work to improve football pitches in Pinhoe is about to begin

Published: 18 August 2020

Fences will start going up on site at Pinhoe Station Road from tomorrow (Wednesday 19 August) to allow the work to take place.

The Council recently revealed its plans to refurbish and upgrade the football pitches, providing a better surface with improved drainage.

As part of the project, the size of the senior pitch will be increased to meet FA requirements and improvements will be made to the junior playing surface. Funding for the project comes from section 106 money from local housing developments at Monkerton and Tithebarn. The money from developers comes with a condition that it can only be spent on playing pitches in the Pinhoe area.

The site is currently used by Pinhoe AFC and Pinhoe Spartans Junior Football Club but many home matches have to be played elsewhere as the pitches don’t drain well and become waterlogged easily.

Around £140,000 is being spent on the pitch upgrade and the improved pitches are expected to be ready for the 2021/22 football season.

The main pitch will be reprofiled, new drainage pipes installed and sand added to the soil to help water drain away better.

Although the works will mean a period of disruption for the football clubs, the result will be much better facilities for local footballers.

The initial work will only take around two to three months to be carried out but the pitches will be out of action for about a year to allow the turf to bed in. The area will remain fenced off while the grass is establishing and people are urged to stay off the pitches whilst this is happening.

The rest of the park will remain open to the public throughout the works.