Councillors give green light to PlayZone plans on Hucknall's Titchfield Park

Coun Lee Waters, with his son Alexander, has welcomed the investment in Titchfield Park.

Ashfield Council has given the go ahead for plans to build a brand new 3G pitch on Hucknall’s Titchfield Park.

The plans will see a full refurbishment of the artificial pitch on the park as part of a council partnership with the Football Foundation that will see PlayZones developedat Titchfield and four other parks in the district.

PlayZones are new or refurbished outdoor mini pitches, designed for football and other sports, aimed at tackling inequalities in physical activity and access to facilities.

The main groups the Football Foundation want to work with include women and girls, people living with a long-term health condition or disability and ethnically diverse communities.

he Football Foundation will provide 75 per cent of the £1.255m costs and provide technical expertise for the facilities.

PlayZones have a multi-use games area with built in goalposts, hoops and/or nets, surfaced with tarmac or a synthetic surface.

The complete refurbishment of Hucknall’s facilities will be ready for use by the autumn.

Hucknall councillor Lee Waters (Ash Ind), speaking at the meeting, said: "I fully support the proposal, this is a fantastic opportunity for Hucknall, one that will provide a modern, high-quality facility for local people to enjoy for years to come.

"Titchfield Park has always been a hub for community sport and recreation.

"However, the current pitch has reached the end of its usable life.

"This project will change that."

The news comes just 18 months after a brand new teaching pool was completed at Hucknall Leisure Centre as part of a £5.5m upgrade programme at the facility.

Coun John Wilmott (Ash Ind), aslo speaking at the meeting, said: "What fantastic news for the people of Hucknall.

"The Hucknall synthetic pitch was looking very tired and replacing it with a 3G pitch will revitalise sport in Titchfield Park and I am sure its usage will increase.

"This is somethingwe have fought for and are proud to be delivering."

Coun Waters continued: "Projects like this are more important than ever, especially after Hucknall was shamefully denied its fair share of levelling up funding by the Government.

"That money was meant to support communities like ours, yet it was taken away, leaving us to fight for every penny of investment.

"Despite this setback, we are fighting on because our residents deserve nothing less.”