“As both a coach and a parent of children, (girls in both U13 and U11) involved with the club, I see first-hand the incredible social value this project will bring to the community. For the children, facilities like this are essential hubs for them to develop teamwork and make new, lasting friendships outside of school. Furthermore, being part of this environment has allowed me to form great friendships with the other parents and coaches I work alongside every week. The pitch is vital not just for football, but for strengthening the social fabric of the town.”
James Doyle
“As a parent whose daughter plays for one of the teams at Windsor & Eton, I’ve seen firsthand how much joy, confidence, and connection football brings to our children. A 3G pitch would be more than just a facility, it would be a safe, inclusive space where young people can grow, thrive, and build lasting friendships. At a time when youth services across the UK have been gutted, this pitch represents a rare and vital investment in our children and young people’s wellbeing. It’s a chance to push back against the erosion of safe spaces and show that Windsor values its young people.”
Vera Filipe
“As a parent of three young girls who all play and love football, I would strongly welcome the development of a 3G football pitch in Windsor. A high-quality, all-weather surface would give children like mine the chance to train and play consistently throughout the year, regardless of rain, frost, or fading daylight. It would provide a safe, durable, and accessible space where girls’ football can continue to grow, helping to build confidence, teamwork, and a lifelong love of sport. Having a local 3G pitch would reduce the need to travel long distances for matches and training, strengthen the local football community, and show a real commitment to supporting youth and girls’ sport in Windsor.”
Matt Adams
“From a parent’s perspective, the 3G pitch would be a hugely valuable facility for the town.
An all weather surface means children can stay active consistently, supporting both their physical and mental wellbeing, regardless of the season. I can’t understand why someone would be against it.”
Sonia Dinis
“Quite simply, a 3G pitch would mean that more people, of all ages, genders and abilities would be able to play football, a sport so loved by hundreds of members of tour community, as shown by the hundreds of members of WEFC. We currently rely on playing on RBWM pitches for matches, which, despite paying high maintenance fees, are poorly maintained and can be dangerous to play on. They also often become waterlogged after periods of rainfall, meaning that they are unplayable and excited boys and girls, like our six-year-old son, are unable to play the matches they have been so looking forward to.
Football builds resilience, determination, creativity, patience, perseverance, discipline, healthy habits and teamwork. Building a 3G pitch is not just about building a pitch for football to be played on, it’s about building lifelong skills, friendships and a strong community.”
Sarah Blanshard
“My son loves football, he talks about it, plays it and even uses it to improve his Maths work & creative writing through his passion for the game. It’s more than just a sport for him and at this time of year we have already had matches called off from water logged pitches and he is utterly gutted! As a Mum, I’m disappointed to see his face but also the now how to entertain the kids by avoiding screen time panic!
Football keeps him physically and mentally healthy with a sense of community by watching home games. To have the opportunity to have this all year round pitch for training sessions, playing home matches and being a spectator is a dream I hope Windsor & Eton FC are successful in their application! Let’s keep the dreams alive for all, especially for the youth that need all the help with today’s challenges!”
Michelle Parker
“As a family, we have been fortunate enough to have both our sons play youth football for Windsor & Eton FC, and we also live in the wider vicinity of Stag Meadow and the stadium itself.
The improvements the club has made since taking over at Stag Meadow have been significant and genuinely appreciated. This is clearly reflected in the increased attendances, particularly among young players who are welcomed with free access to matches and, for the first time in my memory as a resident for 30 years, feel part of a club with a strong community identity. What the club has created is about far more than football; it is about pan community cohesion at a time when many forces work against it. The club now brings together thousands of people from families across Windsor and beyond, from all walks of life, united by shared pride in the club and its values.
As a family, we fully support the proposal to introduce a new artificial playing surface. This would ensure the needs of the club’s large and growing player base can be better served, while also allowing Stag Meadow to be used more effectively throughout the year. Many of Windsor’s public pitches are of poor quality, and youth fixtures are frequently cancelled due to weather conditions — not only in winter. Even training options are limited; facilities such as the Windsor Boys’ School hockey pitch are not truly all-weather, and training is often cancelled due to either weather or school events.
While we recognise that not everyone will agree with the club’s plans, we have been disappointed by the tone and approach of some opposition, which does not reflect the broad and positive community support the club enjoys. Our own experience of being approached has been at odds with the reality we see every week at Stag Meadow: a welcoming, well-run club acting in the best interests of young people and the wider community.
Last weekend, our sons’ Falcons U15 team played at Hanworth Villa’s new stadium on a new artificial pitch, while many other matches were postponed elsewhere. Although the result did not go our way, it was a powerful illustration of what is possible and of the benefits such a facility can bring to youth football and community sport.
For all these reasons, we wholeheartedly support the club’s efforts to progress this proposal and hope it can move forward with the backing it deserves.”
Mike Byrnes
“I’m writing to support the 3G pitch, which I believe is vital for our community, especially for football. Its all-weather surface ensures year-round play, preventing the disruptions caused by rain on grass pitches. This reliability enhances participation and promotes healthy lifestyles for players of all ages. It can also host events that boost local engagement and strengthen community bonds. Thank you for considering these points, as I hope to see the 3G pitch become a key part of our community’s sports scene.”
Mercy Abraham
“I am excited to support the application for the 3G pitch at Windsor and Eton FC. Having a dedicated space for grassroots sport is crucial for our community, and I truly believe this pitch will serve as an invaluable hub for our children and all residents.
The 3G pitch will not only provide an opportunity for young athletes to develop their skills but will also promote healthy lifestyles, teamwork, and community engagement. In a time when accessible sporting facilities have become scarce due to austerity, this initiative will fill a significant gap and inspire more families to participate in physical activities.”
Neil Linford-Relph
“The strides this club has taken since it was founded in 2023 have been very impressive. There is a “feel good” factor around the place that has not been felt in many a year. However in order build on the good work already being done and with the ultimate goal of making this club something the whole community can be proud of, the introduction of a 3G pitch would seem a pivotal step forward, enabling all ages to take advantage of the improved facility and hopefully establishing a social hub for the whole community to benefit from. It would also be environmentally friendly as it would require significantly less water and would negate the need for harmful pesticides, herbicides or fertiliser.”
“As a parent of children who play for Windsor & Eton FC, I see first-hand how dependent local football is on weather and borrowed facilities. Our children currently play matches at places like Imperial Park, where waterlogged pitches often lead to cancellations and disruption. A 3G pitch in Windsor would give them a reliable, year-round place to train and play, removing that uncertainty. It would also benefit the wider community by reducing wear on grass pitches, leaving more usable green space for families and other park users at weekends. More than just a football surface, it would be a positive, long-term asset for the whole town.”
Letizia Fretes-Morley
“I highly recommend we allow Windsor & Eton to build/transform the ground to a 3G pitch because it will help with the community and bring in more supporters it will also help develop the youth teams, as it means we can get more players involved boys, girls, disabilities and even more adults, we could even start up some new football teams!! I feel it will put Windsor even bigger and brighter on the map and put us in the spotlight more which will help bring in more fans and a tighter community. I would like to see my youth team (U7’s) develop more on a 3G pitch as it means we can have more training sessions and play more games, also we won’t have to worry about a waterlogged pitch and have to let down the community due to a bad pitch.”
Dougie Wisbey
“I am writing in support of the building of the 3G pitch at Stag Meadows. I currently coach for my son’s under 6 team for WEFC and since my son Eden joined the club I have grown to understand the importance of how a football club and its facilities make such a dramatic difference in the local community and in supporting our children in their development. Expanding the facilities available will only serve to make the club, an already valuable asset, even more rewarding to the people that take part. A shared space like this not only ensures children have a safe and fitting environment to practice their sport in all weather but gives likeminded individuals a chance to share the space, meet each other and continue to build on the already thriving community.
I was lucky enough to have very supportive football coaches in my childhood that gave me the opportunity to play and spend time with friends and make new connections. I would like this opportunity for my children and adding to the facilities at Stag Meadows offers this to them.
I know that expanding on the facilities that our footballing community already enjoy will only reap positive outcomes and strengthen one of the fundamental pillars of our local community.”
Thomas Bowen
“I have lived in Windsor for 20 years raising 3 children. All three play sports to a high level.
“Football is the heart of our community, which is why it is absolutely crucial that we do all we can to ensure that children have access to a facility all-year round. Too often have matches been cancelled due to pitches not being available as a result of poor weather or availability. This pitch is vital to ensure that we continue to support the development of our youth football clubs.”
Piers Zangana
“As a local resident with a child involved in football, I strongly support the development of the 3G pitch at Windsor & Eton FC. Reliable, all-weather facilities make a huge difference to young players. Training and matches are too often disrupted by poor pitches and cancellations, which directly impacts development and enjoyment. A 3G pitch would give children across Windsor consistent access to a safe, high-quality surface year round. This facility would support not just one team, but football at all levels in the town – youth, junior and senior, and would act as a genuine community asset. Investment in this pitch is an investment in grassroots sport, health, and opportunities for local children.
I hope you can make it done!”
Peter Milchov
“Installing a new all-weather pitch would deliver clear and lasting benefits to the wider community, providing a high-quality, accessible facility that can be used year-round. Junior players in particular would benefit from more reliable training and match provision, fewer cancellations due to weather, and a consistent playing surface that supports safe participation and skill development . This is especially valuable for young players who due to covid have experienced disruption to sporting opportunities in recent years, with reduced access to regular play and structured activity during an important stage of their development.
Matthew Hart
“Since its beginning the revitalised Windsor & Eton FC has always had community engagement at its heart. The success on the pitch with back-to-back promotions for the Men’s team who are now competing at the top end of the Combined Counties Premier League North together with the club’s youth teams & ladies teams means that there is great pressure on the current facilities for training and match days. The enhancement of the facilities at Stag Meadow with an all-weather pitch would give the club a massive boost in its ambition to succeed at all levels and engage the local community in health & wellbeing activities.”
Ian McKenzie
I have heard and seen comments that any improvement to the pitch is for purely to make money. Well, yes, it is to make money for the club, no secret. How does a club survive, or in this case, grow, without investment? The current personal investment of the Chairmen and his backers a few years ago has meant a new club now exists. However, the costs of running a football club are huge.
The new pitch will help to make the club financially sustainable, and provides the community, not the owners, with the facilities it deserves.”
Keith Evans
“My daughter plays for Windsor and Eton FC. As it stands now. When the girls play at pirate park the first task is for parents to sweep the pitch for dog faeces and other assorted items likely to cause the children harm. Then when the girls train on a Tuesday they have to travel to Bishopsgate school in ENGLEFIELD GREEN to access a floodlight pitch. A 3G surface at Stag Meadow would allow my daughter and many hundreds of Windsor children like her to play football at a high quality, safe and accessible facility. In addition this would make football more available to Windsor children who currently can’t manage the associated costs and/or travelling. A 3G pitch would transform Stag Meadow into a facility that would revolutionise the football landscape for children in Windsor. The local community should be fully supportive of this initiative accordingly.”
Ian Dawson
“A 3G pitch for Windsor & Eton FC will give our community club reliable, all-weather access to safe, consistent playing conditions, which means youth sessions don’t get cancelled every time grass pitches become unusable. More training hours, better skill development, and year-round engagement are essential to keep young players active, improve standards, and maintain involvement with their teams. Consistent access to facilities help to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of the teams and volunteers who are part of Windsor & Eton FC family.”
Rebecca Hoskin
“As a former coach to boys at Windsor Youth FC, I cannot stress how much of an asset a new 3G pitch would be. While the pitch at Windsor Boys’ School is better than not having one at all, the surface there is old and far too quick for young people to adequately practise on. It is almost impossible to play a pass into space because the ball races away like it’s on ice before anyone can catch up with it. A new pitch would also allow at least some games to take place when grass pitches are rendered unplayable by the British weather.”
Scott Newman
Sarah Foley
“The installation of a 3G pitch at Stag Meadow will be massive in terms of the community allowing all ages & gender to play pretty much every day & night.
This will be huge for Windsor & Eton FC virtually guaranteeing a playable pitch in all seasons & no more worry of a water logged pitch.”
Adrian Hobbs
“In my opinion a 3G pitch is so much more beneficial compared to the normal grass field pitches, and I feel having a 3G pitch will have a positive impact on our community especially considering the following points;
“This is a fantastic proposal for the children and for the community as whole.
We would hugely benefit from such a service in our local area.”
Mo Mahad
“We really need a 3G pitch in Windsor because most of the pitches in the town are outdated. If we want our children to keep enjoying playing football in Windsor, regardless of the weather this development is a must. It will be a great investment for footballers, and even rugby players. Finally, FIFA approved it as a top standard because pitches feature a shock pad layer for players safety, reducing injuries, unlike older artificial surfaces. Not only it is highly durable, but also allows a better drainage in comparison to older systems. Children must have access to good-quality infrastructures to pave the way of their success. Therefore, we should not be the ones behind in Windsor.“
Christiane Pokossy
“The 3G pitch will be a tremendous community asset. I know from experience elsewhere that its ability to support more training and games, more of the time, independent of weather, creates a real hub for community football that everyone feels part of. It provides a way to connect youth teams with the club, and helps to grow the club’s identity and its connection with the wider community.”
Peter Shearman
“Having a 3G pitch at Stag Meadow will allow more teams associated with the club to utilise the pitch which would hopefully increases participation and community engagement. This would boost physical activity and health in the community, as well providing a hub for diverse groups to meet and participate in sport.”
In addition to the open letters, below is just a sample of the open ended responses we received as part of the public consultation…
“The proposal is a must and a huge benefit for WEFC and the wider community.”
“This will be amazing for the community allowing more children access to be able to play at Stag Meadow.”
“What a brilliant project. I especially look forward to winter games not being called off.”
“Great opportunity for the kids.”
“I believe this will be of significant benefit to the whole community, not just WEFC.”
“Positive addition to the local community.”
“The 3g pitch will benefit locals.”
“I believe this would be great for the community.”
“Youth teams in Windsor desperately need a resource like this. The pitches they practise on are in a bad state and unlit. This would enable the teams to practise thoroughly through the winter. It would be a great addition all round.”
“I think this is a necessity for the club, all the other WEFC teams and wider community.”
“Great to see WEFC investing in the future of Youth Football in Windsor.”
“A 3G pitch would improve conditions for all levels of the football club.”
“I believe the the 3G pitch will be a great facility for the whole community.”
“This would greatly benefit the club, but also the wider community.”
“Strongly agree with all of the plans bringing the community closer together.”
“Windsor has very little in the way of sports facilities & it would be great to see a local club supported & improved for the future in an ever growing – dense commute. It would be an asset for the area, the young & up & coming athletes to develop & have all year round facilities.”
“This will be a fab addition for girls football.”
“Our children need a safe and affordable space to support their football journeys.”
“The pitches our children play on compared with the oppositions’ facilities are terribly poor and are an embarrassment to the club. Stag Meadow can provide a community hub.”
“Improvements to encourage the increased use of sports facilities in the local community should be backed wholly and unreservedly.”
“Windsor & Eton FC are doing a fantastic job at being a community focused, inclusive club. I welcome the plans and the positive impact the pitch would have on my three girls’ ability to access and play football.”
“Although it will not benefit me directly due to my advancing years, it is the way forward for the club and the community it interacts with. I wish them total success with the proposed project and its long term future.”
“Windsor desperately needs this facility in a town of our size. Let’s do It!”
“I think this project is really important to bring a bring a safe & consistent space for kids in the community to be able to play football.”
“This is a wonderful plan to improve local facilities. Have been looking forward to it.”
“What a great opportunity to foster and development junior football in Windsor.”
“This is the best opportunity to develop young people and create more opportunities for people of all ages to become more physically active, more often. Facilities are a critical part of increasing a communities spirit and this will do wonders for the Windsor community… both footballing and other.”
“Great opportunity for the community. Really has to go ahead given the momentum of the club and the backing from the Crown Estate.”
“Strongly agree with all the above. I have read some of the comments of people that have opposed the recommendation and a lot of these people do not live in the community this is something for us and it is exactly what the area needs.”
“I think it would benefit the community with a place to encourage our young players to be active and engaged.”
“This pitch will be a major step towards the club’s ambition to be a community facility.”
“I think it is important to provide facility for the youth of Windsor to encourage children to be active.”
“A 3G pitch will be great.”
“Positive planning for the local community, it is about time that the community is thought off. The local council should be supportive of positive community areas for the future.”
“A vibrant and successful football club is an asset to any town. The installation of a 3g pitch will bring many more people together with the obvious health and social benefits that participation in sport inevitably brings.”
“Let’s make this happen.”
“This is a must for all age generations of the community.”
“The new pitch will be an added bonus to the club. It means the youth teams (and family and friends and fans) can use the whole club grounds all year round. As a teacher in one of the local schools where boys and girls from the school are proud to represent WEFC this will be an excellent place for them.”
“Windsor must be the only town of comparable size whose residents have no access to a full size 3G pitch. Maidenhead for example has several.”
“This will be a fantastic asset for the community and promotes all of the physical and mental benefits of team sports.”
“I’d love to keep the natural grass pitch but to progress we must have plastic.”
“Although my preference is to enjoy watching football played on grass I understand & support the reasons for the 3G proposal.”
“Having the new pitch would be amazing.”
“A great boost for not just the club but the community!”
“About time money was spent on ground.”
“What a great opportunity for the town of Windsor to have access to such a wonderful site.”
“What great vision by the club and its management .well done indeed. Congratulations I feel sure, from the town, and its residents.”
“This will help not only the teams that are involved in the club but bring a whole sense of community where local schools and groups will be able to access the facilities that will increase engagement and active living.”
“The proposal strongly enhances both the sporting opportunities for the club, but also the wider community by providing access to better facilities and playing opportunities – ones i would have loved as a child 20 years ago.”
“Great for all the community.”
“The new 3G pitch will provide so much more for the wider community , giving from young children through to adults and even veterans the chance to keep fit in a safe way all year round.”
“With the facilities already available this would be a great addition, also providing extra training facilities for schools alike.”
“The 3G will benefit all that enjoys the game of football.”
As a parent whose daughter plays for one of the teams at Windsor & Eton, I’ve seen firsthand how much joy, confidence, and connection football brings to our children. A 3G pitch would be more than just a facility, it would be a safe, inclusive space where young people can grow, thrive, and build lasting friendships.
From a parent’s perspective, the 3G pitch would be a hugely valuable facility for the town. An all weather surface means children can stay active consistently, supporting both their physical and mental wellbeing, regardless of the season. I can't understand why someone would be against it.
To help you better understand what we’re aiming to achieve and to put to bed any false narratives that might be circulating, we have put together a set of FAQs to answer your questions. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to email us at comms@wefc.co.uk
WEFC is a Community Interest Company “CIC”, whose purpose is to serve the community as a joint venture between Windsor Youth Club (Junior under 18 football), Chaired by Paul Mitchell and WEFC (Senior over 18 football), Chaired by former Windsor player and manager Mark Cooper.
WEFC’s mission is to build a sustainable, inclusive future for football in Windsor, creating a club that’s truly for everyone, irrespective of gender, age, background or ability
WEFC agreed a 25 year lease with the Crown Estate in 2023 at Stag Meadow which has a full size grass football pitch.
The Senior Mens & Womens teams play their league and cup fixtures at Stag Meadow, but with it being a grass surface there is very limited scope for the pitch to be used by our 50+ youth teams or the wider community.
Currently our 50+ teams of over 600 boys and girls of aged between 8 and 18 play their fixtures and hold training sessions at disparate locations in the borough, which are becoming increasingly expensive and often poorly maintained or substandard. An artificial grass pitch would enable Stag Meadow to be a Football HQ for all of our youth sides, as well as providing a facility for the wider community, including local schools and community groups.
WEFC is actively working with local schools and community groups to widen participation in football. Football pathways to provide coaching and form new teams for Women and Girls have been set up and a Community strategy is in place, with programmes being established with the RBWM community team, local ethnic groups, later years groups, Football Disability and Get Berkshire Active. These initiatives should have a very positive impact on the overall health and well being of Windsor residents of all ages.
The Football Foundation
The Football Foundation published their Local Football Facility Plan for Windsor & Maidenhead in April 2025. For Windsor the Plan identified that there is a shortfall of 2 full size 3G pitches and the Football Foundation has selected Stag Meadow as a priority site for 3G investment (the other site being Windsor Boys School).
The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
The RBWM’s Sports & Leisure Strategy 2024 – 2033 also identifies a shortfall of at least 2 full size 3G pitches with Stag Meadow listed as one of 2 priority sites (the other also being Windsor Boys School)
The Crown Estate
The Crown Estate is a joint applicant for Planning together with WEFC for an artificial grass pitch at Stag Meadow.
What is a 3G pitch, is it safe, what will it cost, what changes to the stadium will be needed
3G surfaces are “third generation” artificial grass surfaces specifically designed to meet the needs of different sports, including football and rugby, by closely replicating the playing characteristics of natural turf. 3G football pitches refer to 3Gs which are designed specifically to meet FIFA standards.
The focus area for Safety and Environmental impact is the use of “rubber crumb” on 3G surfaces and therefore potential issues from the “shedding” of microplastics.
From a Safety perspective several scientific studies have concluded that there is “no reason to advise people against playing sports on synthetic turf containing recycled rubber granules as infill” (ie a 3G pitch)
From an Environmental perspective the Football Foundation’s (FF) 3G pitch designs require the installation of containment measures to minimise microplastic shedding. The expected lifespan of a 3G surface is c.10 years, but on replacement WEFCs undertaking to the Football Foundation will be to have the old surface recycled at a Football Foundation approved facility.
The EU has not banned the use of rubber crumb on 3G pitches but there is an 8 year transition period to replace it with a more sustainable alternative by 2031. The Football Foundation is currently working with the Government on how these measures should apply in the UK and is testing alternative infill solutions at a site in Sheffield.
The estimated cost of installing a 3G pitch is c£1m. If Planning Permission is obtained the Football Foundation have indicated that WEFC will then be able to apply for a grant that would fund a significant proportion of this cost, with the balance to be raised from partners, sponsors and the club’s own resources.
The configuration of the pitch at Stag Meadow will not change. The 3G pitch will replace the current grass surface and will use the existing drainage outlet to direct rainwater into the Bourne Ditch.
No changes are required to the physical footprint or structure of the stadium. A Planning application will need to include the following ancillary items required by the Football Foundation under their grant criteria for a 3G pitch:
Barriers: the existing pitch protection barrier running between the playing area and the spectator area is proposed to be replaced with a new 1.1m high green weldmesh fencing (primarily to protect the new pitch from unauthorised use)
Floodlights: the existing floodlights which illuminate the pitch are to be replaced on the retained existing columns and masts with more efficient LED luminaires. These will provide a more modern lighting solution giving greater concentration of light on the playing area with less light spill in the surrounding area.
Why is WEFC announcing this now, what are the next steps, when would the 3G be installed?
Stag Meadow is in the Football Foundation pipeline of pitch projects able to apply for funding, subject to obtaining Planning Permission.
We had a pre-planning site advisory meeting from the RBWM Planning team on 22nd July.
This was positive about the likely success of our prospective Planning Application for a 3G pitch at Stag Meadow, subject to WEFC commissioning the necessary specialist pieces of work to ensure compliance with Planning Requirements, listed below.
As we can now move to preparing a full Planning Application for the 3G pitch, we want to widely communicate with local residents and the wider community, so that we can incorporate their input and feedback (through in-person consultation meetings and an online survey) into our finalised application.
Specialist work to be carried out prior to submitting a full Planning Application, by Property Consultants WSP
We expect that this work will take until October to complete, at which time we expect to be able to submit the full Planning Application.
WEFC will be holding Pre-Application Public Consultation Meetings on the evenings of Wednesday 3rd and Thursday 4th September 2025.
There is an online consultation survey available at [link] and this will be available to complete until 30th September.
We would hope to hear the outcome of the Planning decision in Q1 2026 and if granted, then be able to apply for Football Foundation grant funding. A successful award would then lead to a 3rd party tendering and detailed planning process to carry out the work. Realistically then, if all goes well, we would aim to be able to have the new 3G pitch installed over Spring/Summer 2027.
How will Stag Meadow be used when the 3G football pitch is installed and will their be an impact on Parking?
With the new 3G pitch in place, Stag Meadow will be available all year round, all day and every day for use by WEFC, all our youth teams and the wider community for football training and matches.
On weekdays during the day it will be available for use by local schools and third parties.
On weekday evenings it will be used by a mixture of WEFC Senior and Youth football teams for matches and training.
At the weekends it will be used in the mornings to hold Youth football matches as well as the current Senior WEFC fixtures.
We have developed a Usage Plan which anticipates that the 3G pitch will be available for use from 9am to 10pm. The Usage plan shows hourly slots with the pitch able to be split into up to 4 areas, if being used by small sided junior teams to play and train, which means at peak times (early midweek evenings) there could be up to 40 players plus parents and coaches, so estimate up to 80 adults and children at any one time.
Current parking management on MatchDays
Saturday matchdays for the WEFC Senior Mens teams will continue to be when there are the most people (c300 supporters, players and officials) visiting the ground with an estimate of up to 100 cars either dropping off or trying to park leading to congestion.
To manage this WEFC have recently introduced new MatchDay parking restrictions in the Stag Meadow Car Park to better manage car parking on Saturday and Tuesday Matchdays for Senior Mens Team fixtures. A new barrier has been installed with clear signage setting out the times MatchDays occure and that the car park is reserved for WEFC use (as provided in the lease with the Crown Estate). WEFC position stewards in the car park and at the St Leonards road access junction at the restricted times to communicate and help manage parking and access during the restricted periods.
Further, WEFC are considering the introduction of pre – booking in order to be able to park at Stag Meadow on Matchdays, which would be an additional tool to manage traffic flow and parking.
Developing a Travel Parking Management Plan to support the Usage Plan for the whole week
With the 3G surface in place there will clearly be an increased usage of the Stag Meadow pitch during the week, and therefore additional traffic and parking activity, but from above the total numbers at any one time will be much leas than on a Saturday afternoon MatchDay, with midweek evening peak estimated at people. There will or course be changeover peaks at the beginning and end of training sessions and matches which are likely to require proactive management from WEFC and this will be assessed as part of the Travel and Parking Management Plan that is being prepared a Pre-Planning workstream.
Property consultants WSP prepared a pre-planning Transport Note.
The Note sets out the proposal for the 3G pitch together with the implications on traffic and parking from increased usage during the week. In that Note we have undertaken to work with WSP to put together a new Site Travel and Parking Plan for Stag Meadow that will form part of the Transport Statement to be submitted in support of the Planning Application.
The Site Travel and Parking Plan will propose site management measures and commitments, and include a robust assessment of the impact of these proposals:
Proposals likely to include:
Tasks to be undertaken:
Will Stag Meadow be noisier, and is it just becoming a Commercial Hub?
The Planning application will propose the replacement of the existing pitch protection barrier with a new 1.1m high green weldmesh fencing. This however is primarily to protect the new pitch from unauthorised use and is not acoustic fencing, but it is likely to help reduce noise travelling out of the stadium.
A Noise Assessment based on the 3G pitch Usage Plan will be carried out.
We will need to generate some income from our Programme of Use, and will be assessing what the right level of charges should be based on
But we will not be trying to make a profit – rather we will need to generate sufficient income to cover the costs of 3G maintenance, supporting the additional activities in the Usage plan and the need to put money aside to eventually renew the 3G surface.
