Executive Members champion women's and girls’ football as they consider next steps for £1m Kettering pitch, track and pavilion refurbishment
12 December 2024
North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Members will discuss the refurbishment and redevelopment of Kettering’s pitch, track and pavilion project at their next meeting on Thursday 19 December.
In September, members agreed to provide £150,000 towards improving the artificial pitch and pavilion at the Thurston Drive site, with an additional contribution of £50,000 from Northamptonshire Football Association.
This partnership funding enabled the Council and Northamptonshire FA to secure a grant of £810,330 from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.
This project is one of at least 30 set to benefit from The Lionesses Futures Fund, a £30 million cash injection from the Government and The FA delivered by the Football Foundation. The pitches celebrate the Lionesses roaring to victory at the UEFA EUROs in 2022 as well as their achievement of making the FIFA World Cup 2023 final and will help meet the growing demand for women's and girls’ football.
Next Thursday they will consider the procurement and construction phase of the project totalling £1.021m at the high-profile home of Kettering Town Harriers Athletics Club, where the artificial pitch was condemned in 2019. The total cost of the scheme includes £33,000 from external contributions and a virement of £178,000 from the Leisure Minor Works budget within the approved capital programme.
The refurbishment plan will see a complete redevelopment of the artificial playing surface into a 3G pitch equipped with new fencing, LED floodlights and a spectator area. The 30-year-old pavilion will also benefit from a significant refurbishment, providing improved changing facilities, new athletics club room and café.
Once complete, local women’s and girls’ grassroots football clubs will have priority access to the facilities with further access for older people, disabled people and seldom heard groups.
I am excited about discussing the next steps of this project with members next week. It is hoped the site, once complete, will not only widen the opportunity for local women and girls to be more active and successful but for coaching and development programmes to be established for local clubs and coaches which will bring investment into sport in the area.Cllr Helen Howell, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure, Culture and Tourism
It will also offer accessible opportunities for wider members of the community to be more active and will support people to live healthier, more active lives in line with our Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
This is a high-profile site which has been underinvested in for many years. The artificial pitch was built in 1991 and in 2019 was condemned as unsafe. The pitch has not been used for any formal activities since 2019 and is in desperate need of refurbishment, as is the pavilion that accompanies it.Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council
Our vision for the residents of North Northamptonshire is for them to lead active, fulfilled lives. This project will have a positive impact on multi-sports, but particularly football and athletics development within the North Northamptonshire Community, but particularly for Kettering.
Naturally, we are absolutely delighted to be jointly awarded this grant from the Football Foundation towards this hugely important project, both for Kettering and for grassroots football in Northamptonshire. This work aligns totally with our new Create the Feeling grassroots football strategy.Kirsty Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of Northamptonshire Football Association
The Lionesses Futures Fund builds on the Football Foundation’s biggest ever commitment to providing equal access to grassroots facilities for women and girls. With this grant, the Council and Northamptonshire Football Association can play their part in turbocharging opportunities for the next generation of Lionesses.
Thanks to the funding from the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation is delivering 30 pitches like this across the country to support the growing demand for football we’ve seen following the Lionesses’ inspirational success.Robert Sullivan, CEO of the Football Foundation
Like all Lionesses Futures Fund sites, the new 3G pitch at Thurston Drive will provide a safe, accessible and welcoming place to play for the local community in Kettering to lace up their boots.
Next steps are to progress the new 30-year lease for the Northamptonshire Football Association to manage this site on behalf of the Council. This will include an agreement for continued use for Kettering Town Harriers Athletics Club.