A £1.4m project that will provide a new pavilion and eight football pitches is underway atPalatineParkin Worthing,West Sussex.
When the scheme is complete, the park will have a total of eight pitches of varying sizes and include three mini-soccer pitches, three junior pitches and two adult pitches. The variations in size will ensure that age groups will be able to play on pitches matching the FA recommended dimensions.
The site is owned by Worthing Borough Council and currently used by Worthing Town Football Club as a base for the Junior Football Club, which currently has approximately 450 members in 31 teams.
Works began at the end of June, and construction has progressed to the first floor level of the two-storey pavilion. Pitch works including new drainage are in progress and being carried out by Speedcut Contractors Ltd. The original 1960s pavilion which was subject to vandalism and did not provide adequate facilities has been demolished and is being replaced by the new building which has been sited on a more accessible area of the park. The ground floor will house changing rooms, toilets and a kitchen and on the first floor, there will be a social club, meeting rooms and a balcony that overlooks the football pitches. The pavilion could be used for several functions unrelated to football, such as: community groups, after-school clubs, children’s parties and fundraising events. The building will be leased to and operated by Worthing Town Football Club.
The pavilion designed by HSSP Architects, is of traditional construction with external brickwork & timber cladding panels. Sustainable technologies have been included such as green roofs & PV panels to heat hot water.
The scheme has been jointly funded by £450,000 from the Football Foundation, £35,000 from Viridor Credits and £20,000 from Worthing Town Football Club, with the remaining £900,000 contribution coming from Worthing Borough Council.
Morgan Sindall (Construction) Plc Brighton Office are the main contractors, with Howard Ward Associates appointed as structural engineer, and GPB Construction Limited acting as both the groundworks and foundations subcontractor.
Helen Buck, Surveying & Design Services Manager for Worthing Borough Council said “This is an exciting, long awaited project which is a great success story for everyone involved and will benefit all the local community.”
Stuart Lamb, FA Regional Facilities and Investment Manager for the South East was also pleased with the development. He said: “I am delighted for both Worthing Town Youth FC and Worthing Borough Council in successfully attracting funding to develop facilities atPalatinePark. The new changing rooms and improved grass pitches will prove an enormous benefit to Worthing Town Youth FC and the whole community in general.”
The expected completion date for all the works is December 2011 with all pitches being fully in use by Summer 2012.
