A state-of-the-art sports pitch will be installed in Killingworth after North Tyneside Council netted half a million pounds in funding.
The council has been awarded a grant from the Football Foundation – the UK’s largest sports charity funded by the Premier League, The FA and Government (via Sport England) – to install a new third generation (3G) artificial grass pitch (AGP) at Amberley playing fields.
The local authority worked with the Football Foundation and the Northumberland FA to secure the £500,000 grant from the Football Foundation towards the project which will cost £750,000 in total.
Killingworth Young People’s Club (KYPC) helped to develop the bid and will manage the new pitch on behalf of the community.
It will enable the council to provide a first-class playing surface, supporting grassroots football as well as a host of other sports and community activities.
On Monday, North Tyneside Council’s cabinet agreed to accept the grant and pledged the additional funds needed to make the scheme a reality.
Councillor Sarah Day, Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said: “I welcome this funding with open arms, and I’m delighted that we will be able to provide such a great facility for the community as part of an overall investment totalling £750,000.
“As well as being a great example of partnership working between the council and the club, the pitch will be a fantastic asset for the community in Killingworth, creating a modern venue that will host a range of sports and leisure activities, as well as opportunities for local people to maintain a fit and active lifestyle.
“The provision of the pitch is also one of our main priorities for the regeneration of Killingworth, bringing physical improvements and improving people’s access to opportunities in sport.”
Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “Since 2000, the Football Foundation has awarded 188 grants worth £12.4m across Northumberland County FA towards grassroots sports projects worth £11.8m and it is great to hear that North Tyneside Council will be the latest beneficiary.
“Funding from the Football Foundation supports the development of brand-new facilities for local communities. Made possible by investment from the Premier League, The FA and the Government, via Sport England, the Foundation is supporting the grassroots game by improving access to high-quality football facilities across the country.”
Work on finalising the project will begin straight away, with construction due to start in the summer.