A major milestone has been reached in plans to deliver a new all-weather 3G football pitch in Stocksbridge, with the planning application for the project now formally submitted.
The new facility at Bracken Moor Lane, which forms part of the wider investment programme supported through the Stocksbridge Towns Fund, will provide a much-needed year-round sports facility for the town.
If planning permission is granted, the pitch will be used by community groups, Stocksbridge High School, and both junior and senior teams connected to Stocksbridge Park Steels FC.
Extensive technical work has been carried out to make sure the site is suitable for the proposed plans and to allow for the project to move forward to the planning stage.
Currently, many local youth and adult football teams are forced to travel outside Stocksbridge for training sessions and matches during periods of poor weather when existing grass pitches become unplayable. The new 3G facility will help ensure reliable access to sport throughout the year while increasing opportunities for participation across the community.
Graham Silverwood, the Stocksbridge Towns Fund Board member responsible for sports projects, said:
“This is a really important step forward for a project that the community has wanted for many years.
“The work to make sure the site is suitable has been complex, but it means we are now in a position to move ahead with delivering a modern all-weather facility that will benefit local people of all ages.
“If we are successful in gaining planning permission, the new pitch will provide opportunities for Stocksbridge High School, community football, and both adult and junior teams at Stocksbridge Park Steels, while helping keep sporting activity in Stocksbridge rather than teams having to travel elsewhere.”
Graham Furness, Chairman of Stocksbridge Park Steels said:
“Getting to this stage has taken a huge amount of work from everyone involved and we are pleased to see the planning application now submitted.
“The demand for an all-weather facility in Stocksbridge is clear. Local teams regularly lose training and playing time during the winter months, and this development will make a massive difference for players, coaches, schools, and community groups across the area. We look forward to progressing the project further once planning approval has been secured.”
Roger Gissing, Vice Chairman of Stocksbridge Park Steels, added:
“It’s fantastic to see the project get to this stage and I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved so far.
“Hopefully this is the first milestone of many to come as we look to build a facility that benefits not just everyone at Stocksbridge Park Steels, but the town as a whole.”
The project is expected to create a high-quality facility capable of supporting football participation throughout the year while strengthening sporting provision for the wider Stocksbridge community.
Ground has officially been broken on the new state of the art pavilion at Stocksbridge Cricket Club.
Work got underway with the demolition of the old pavilion, which stood for over 100 years at Bracken Moor Lane, with a modern and inclusive venue to be built in its place.
Following the demolition, ground was officially broken on the site with a spade in the ground ceremony that was attended by Towns Fund Board co-chair Marie Tidball MP, Board member Ian Sanderson, members of Stocksbridge Cricket Club and Sheffield City Council.
Commenting on work getting underway, Marie Tidball, MP for Stocksbridge and Penistone and co-chair of the Stocksbridge Towns Fund Board said:
"I'm delighted that construction work has started on a new cricket pavilion for our Stocksbridge Cricket Club!
“It was great to join members from the club, along with Town Fund Board member Ian Sanderson to celebrate this milestone at their grounds at Bracken Moor.
“The club’s current pavilion will be transformed with graded, inclusive facilities, including ECB-approved changing rooms and a new social venue for hire by the local community. A massive thank you to Graham Silverwood for his word as Board project lead for the cricket pavilion, for all his work in driving this forward.
“With the number 35 Hopper Bus revived, and the 34 route restored to Bolstertone, the 519 en route to being completed and a new cricket pavilion coming soon, I am proud that residents are starting to see the promise of the Towns Fund finally being realised."
Updated facilities will include ECB-approved changing rooms, better accessibility and a new social space that will be available for private hire by the local community.
The project is supported by the Stocksbridge Towns Fund and will allow the club to develop its men’s, women’s and youth teams to secure the future of cricket in the town for the foreseeable future.
Work is scheduled to be completed by Autumn this year.
Graham Silverwood, Stocksbridge Towns Fund Board member with responsibility for the cricket pavilion project, said:
“A lot of planning and hard work has gone into getting the project to this stage and while there is a lot of work still to do, it’s fantastic to see work on the new pavilion get underway on site.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling seeing the old pavilion be demolished as there was a lot of history tied to the old pavilion and I’m sure lots of people have memories attached to it.
“However, the new pavilion will provide both better facilities for all Stocksbridge Cricket Club’s players and a great asset for the rest of our community.
“I look forward to seeing the work continue over the coming weeks and months as the project comes to fruition.”
Dom Gentlesmith, Treasurer at Stocksbridge Cricket Club, said:
“The old pavilion held around a century of memories, so seeing it come down is emotional for many people connected to the club.
“But what’s replacing it will be one of the biggest investments in the club’s history and will give players, volunteers and the wider community facilities they can be proud of for many years to come.
“The aim is to create a modern venue that helps cricket in Stocksbridge continue to grow for decades to come.”