Playing Pitch Strategy: Appendix B - Assessment of Need Report Football

The findings of the assessment of football facilities in Brighton & Hove are summarised in this appendix to the Playing Pitch Strategy. FA affiliated football clubs registered to Sussex FA and playing home fixtures in the area have contributed to this assessment by submitting an online club survey and/or through in person consultation during site visits. The number of clubs that responded to consultation as part of this process represents 83% of teams playing affiliated football in the area.

Since the last assessment was carried out in 2016 there have been changes in both the supply of football pitches in Brighton & Hove and in football demand. On the supply side, there has been additional provision of new full sized 3G AGPs at Hove Park School (2021), Patcham High School (2021), University of Sussex (2019), and Portslade Sports Centre (2019) as well as a 70x31m 3G AGP at Hove Park (2018) with LED floodlights installed in 2021. In addition, the AGPs at Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, and the 60x40m 3G AGP at the University of Sussex have all been resurfaced. There are also 4 new small-sided 3G AGP’s at Withdean Sports Complex and a full-size pitch at Cardinal Newman School being completed ready for the 24/25 season. At the time of reporting there are a number of 3G AGP projects which have been granted planning permission including a new stadia 3G pitch at Hill Park (Saltdean United FC) due to be installed in 2025 and a full size AGP at Toads Hole Valley as part of housing development, in addition the council are looking to apply for funding to develop a 3G 7v7 pitch in Moulsecoomb.

There has been some change to grass pitch provision with new youth grass pitches developed at Happy Valley Rec. ground, improvements to pitch maintenance at Aldrington Rec ground (Wish Park), Greenleas Rec ground, Happy Valley Rec ground and Nevill Playing Fields and at the time of reporting the youth pitches at Mile Oak Rec ground and one of the adult pitches at Nevill Playing Fields were being renovated.

There has been an increase in demand, as the number of football teams in Brighton & Hove has increased to 326 teams. This represents an increase of 66 teams (26%) since the previous audit in 2016 when 260 affiliated teams were registered in the city. There has been a change in football provision with a reduction in adult male (-12 teams) and an increase in adult female teams (+19 teams, including small sided), youth football (+22) and mini soccer (+37) teams.

The findings of the assessment of supply of football facilities in Brighton & Hove are summarised in this section and detailed by site for both grass and artificial turf pitches. The supply information is generated through standard facility audits based on the visual assessment, grading and playing capacity guidance (as set out by Sport England and the FA in the national guidance for the development of playing pitch needs assessments), supported by consultation with the Council, Sussex FA, and user clubs. At a number of key football sites, more detailed pitch quality assessments were undertaken using the Football Foundation's 'PitchPower' methodology. At these sites, the estimates of playing capacity are informed by the results of the PitchPower assessments and Performance Quality Standards (PQS) ratings provided by the Grounds Maintenance Association (GMA). It should be noted that in some cases the pitch grading used was different to the PitchPower assessment, based on the current pitch condition and agreed by Sussex FA, in these cases the quality used is highlighted in bold with PP rating also noted (see Figures 2.5 and 2.6).

2.1 Distribution of football supply

Figures 2.1 and 2.2 show the distribution of key football sites across Brighton & Hove in each analysis area.

2.2 Grass football pitches in Brighton & Hove

In total there are 134 grass pitches across 64 sites in Brighton & Hove, of these 31 pitches (20 sites) are on school playing fields and either are not currently available for community use or have no known history of community use. These include:

• Bevendean Primary School – 2 pitches (2xMini 7v7)
• Carden Primary School – 1 pitch (Mini 7v7)
• Cardinal Newman Catholic School – 1 pitch (Youth 11v11)
• Coldean Primary School – 1 pitch (Youth 9v9)
• Dorothy Stringer School – 2 pitches (Adult 11v11, Youth 9v9)
• Goldstone Youth School – 2 pitches (2x Mini 7v7)•Hamilton Lodge School and College for Deaf Children – 1 pitch (Youth 9v9)
• Kings School Hove – 1 pitch (Youth 11v11)
• Lancing College Preparatory School – 3 pitches (Adult 11v11, Youth 11v11, Mini 7v7)•Mile Oak Primary School – 1 pitch (Mini 7v7)
• Moulsecoomb Primary School – 2 pitches (Mini 7v7, Youth 9v9)
• Saltdean Primary School – 3 pitches (2x Mini 5v5, Mini 7v7)
• St Andrews COE Primary School – 1 pitch (Youth 9v9)
• St John the Baptist RC School – 1 pitch (Youth 9v9)
• St Nicolas COE Junior School – 1 pitch (Youth 9v9)
• University Brighton – 3 pitches (Adult 11v11)
• Varndean College – 1 pitch (Adult 11v11)
• West Blatchington Primary School -1 pitch (Youth 9v9)
• Westdene Primary School – 2 pitches (Mini 7v7, Youth 9v9)
• Woodingdean Primary School – 1 pitch (Mini 7v7)

An additional mini 7v7 pitch at St Margaret’s COE Primary School, although not currently hired by any community clubs, would be available for hire if the school received assistance with marking out the pitch. Bevendean Rec. ground previously had one adult 11v11 pitch, however due to badger damage, a closed pavilion and poor access this site is not suitable for match play. These two sites and the education sites listed above have been excluded from the supply and demand calculations, as they are not currently available for community use.

This means the number of secured grass pitches available for community football in Brighton & Hove is 101 pitches on 42 sites (figure 2.1) and the number of AGP pitches is 25 across 15 sites (figure 2.2). Further details of these facilities can be found in figures 2.5 – 2.8 and 2.10 – 2.11.

Figure 2.1 - Distribution of grass football pitch sites in Brighton & Hove

• 1 - Aldrington Recreation Ground (Wish park) BN3 4LN
• 2 - Balfour Junior School BN1 6NE
• 3 - Benfield Valley Recreation Ground BN3 7GE
• 4 - Blatchington Mill School BN3 7BW
• 5 - Braypool Recreation Ground BN1 8ZH
• 6 - Hollingbury Park (Brentwood Road) BN1 7EX
• 7 - Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) BN1 9PW
• 8 -  Carden Park BN3 6EG29
• 9 - Cottesmore St. Mary's RC Primary School BN3 6ND
• 10 - Dyke Road Park BN1 5AS
• 11 - East Brighton Park BN2 5TS
• 12 - Easthill Park BN41 2FA
• 13 - Greenleas BN3 8AN
• 14 - Happy Valley Recreation Ground BN2 6LA
• 15 - Hertford Junior School BN1 7FP
• 16 - Hill Park BN2 8HJ
• 17 - Horsdean Recreation Ground BN1 8UA
• 18 - Hove Park BN3 6BG
• 19 - Hove Park School - Nevill Campus BN3 7BN (The enclosed ground)
• 20 - Hove Park School - Valley Campus BN3 8AD
• 21 - Knoll Park BN3 7JG
• 22 - Longhill Sports Centre BN2 7FR
• 23 - Mile Oak Recreation Ground BN41 2WF
• 24 - Nevill Playing Fields BN3 7QD
• 25 - Nuffield Playing Fields BN2 6DX
• 26 - Patcham Junior School BN1 8PB
• 27 - Patcham Place Recreation Ground BN1 8ZF
• 28 - Portslade Aldridge Community Academy BN41 2WS
• 29 - Preston Park BN1 6SD
• 30 - Rottingdean Cricket & Football Club BN2 7DA
• 31 - Rottingdean Recreation Ground BN2 7DA
• 32 - Southwick Hill Recreation Ground BN42 4QU
• 33 - St Bernadette Catholic Primary School BN1 6UT
• 34 - The Crew Club BN2 5QW
• 35 - The Manor Road Gym BN2 5EA
• 36 - University of Sussex BN1 9PL
• 37 - Varndean High Schoo BN1 6NP
• 38 - Victoria Recreation Ground BN41 1UB
• 39 - Waterhall Sports Ground BN1 8YR
• 40 - Whitehawk Football Club BN2 5TS
• 41 - Wild Park BN1 9JS
• 42 -  Withdean Sports Complex BN1 5JD

Figure 2.2 - Distribution of artifical grass pitch sites used for Football in Brighton & Hove and those in neighbouring areas

• 1 - Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) BN1 9PW
• 2 - Brighton Football Rugby Club BN1 8YR
• 3 - Dorothy Stringer School BN1 6PZ
• 4 - Hove Park BN3 6BG
• 5 - Hove Park School - Valley Campus BN3 8AD
• 6 - Patcham High School BN1 8PB
• 7 - Portslade Sports Centre BN41 2WS
• 8 - Stanley Deason Leisure Centre* BN2 5PB - The 3G pitch at Stanley Deason Leisure Centre is used to 82% of capacity whereas the SD pitch is used to only 29%. Site is marked as used at 75% - 99% capacity in figure 2.2 as the 3G pitch is the primary football surface.
• 9 - The Manor Road Gym BN2 5EA
• 10 - University of Brighton BN1 9PH
• 11 - University of Sussex BN1 9PL
• 12 - Varndean School BN1 6NP
• 13 - Blatchington Mill School BN3 7BW
• 14 - Withdean Sports Complex** BN1 5JD
• 15 - Cardinal Newman Catholic School** BN1 8LU

** Sites are in development at the time of reporting and do not yet have confirmed usage schedules, however it has been confirmed that the facilities will offer community bookings.

Sites outside of Brighton & Hove City Council

• 16 - Southwick Leisure Centre BN42 4NT
• 17 - Shoreham Academy BN43 6YT
• 18 - Peacehaven Community School BN10 8RB
• 19 - Fort Road Recreation Ground BN9 9DL
• 20 - Hassocks Sports Centre BN6 8LP
• 22 - Southdown Sports Club BN7 3PR
• 23 - Lewes FC (The Rockery 3G) BN7 2XA

Figure 2.3 shows the number of secured pitches currently available compared with the number of FA affiliated teams by age group in June 2024. Comparison of current team numbers with the available supply of natural turf pitches shows that there is a relatively even distribution of pitches with 2-3 teams per pitch for adult 11v11, 9v9, 7v7, and 5v5 pitches. There are over 7 teams for each Youth 11v11 pitch, meaning some will play on full sized pitches.

There are few youth pitches within Brighton & Hove which are overmarked for smaller sided games, with 3 pitches being overmarked for smaller sided football matches and 1 being overmarked with a Gaelic Football pitch. This can be an effective way to manage demand in areas of concentrated youth football but can lead to overplay, as is evident at Hill Park and Waterhall Sports Ground.

Figure 2.3: Pitch size / Team comparison

11 v 11 (Open Age, Veterans, U19, U18, U17)

• Available pitch supply: 37 (37%)
• Teams playing in Brighton & Hove: 90 (29%)

Youth 11 v 11 (U13 - U16)

• Available pitch supply: 10 (9%)
• Teams playing in Brighton & Hove: 73 (24%)

Youth 9 v 9 (U11 - U112)

• Available pitch supply: 21 (21%)
• Teams playing in Brighton & Hove: 58 (19%)

Mini Soccer 7 v 7 (U9 - U10)

• Available pitch supply: 22 (22%)
• Teams playing in Brighton & Hove: 55 (18%)

Mini Soccer 5 v 5 (U6 - U8)

• Available pitch supply: 11 (11%)
• Teams playing in Brighton & Hove: 31 (10%)

Total pitch supply: 101.
Total teams playing in Brighton: 307.

2.3 Local authority owned sites with grass football pitches for hire

Brighton & Hove City Council (B&HCC) own 76 grass pitches throughout the city, two thirds of which are available to hire through their booking system whilst others are leased or managed by sports clubs, sports associations, community groups, or commercial companies. Figure 2.4 below outlines the management of council owned pitches.

Figure 2.4: Management agreements of council owned pitches

Number of grass pitches:

• Managed by Brighton & Hove City Council: 51 (66%)
• Lease/licensed to sports clubs: 26 (33%)
• Tenancy at Will: 1 (1%)

2 pitches are sublet by Rottingdean Cricket Club to Rottingdean Football Club. Rottingdean Cricket Club have a 20+ year lease for the pitches with Brighton & Hove City Council and 2 pitches at Southwick Hill Rec ground just outside the Council boundary but owned by the Council and on an annual recurring licence to Mile Oak Wanderers Youth FC.

2.4 Grass football pitches with other ownership agreements

There are four pitches at Nuffield Playing Fields in commercial ownership with Nuffield Hospital, this site is used by Woodingdean Wanderers FC on an annual hire basis. There is also a 7v7 grass pitch at The Manor Gym, as council site currently managed by The Manor Community company (figure 2.7)

2.5 Football pitches on education sites

Brighton & Hove based community football clubs currently play on pitches at several education sites, as listed in figure 2.8. The clubs using pitches on education sites have little security of access as continued use from one season to the next depends on the consent of the site’s management (head teacher, board of governors, management company and/or governing trust). The majority of education sites do not have community use agreements in place and whilst none of these education providers has indicated any intention to stop allowing access in future, without specific agreements in place for longer than a single season, security of access for football clubs at these sites must be considered a risk. It should also be noted that the capacity of pitches on education sites are typically influenced by school use including PE activity, extra-curricular use and playtimes.

Further youth and mini-soccer pitches (or space to accommodate pitches) exist in the area on playing fields at other school sites across the city, as listed in section 2.2. However, the majority are single pitch sites at primary schools which offer little or no access to ancillary facilities. Arranging future access to these pitches at weekends at reasonable cost while safeguarding the security of the schools' buildings would be difficult to achieve in most cases.

2.6 Changes to grass football pitch provision

The pitches at Aldrington Recreation Ground (Wish Park) are due to be reconfigured.

2.7 Facilities for informal football

Most of the parks and larger public open spaces in the city provide flat grass areas suitable for casual recreational games of football and kick-abouts. Many open spaces across Brighton & Hove also offer a fenced but open access multi use games area (MUGA) and/or a smaller ball court (for football/basketball/skate), some of which are floodlit. Examples identified include:

• Hangleton Park – Poor quality sand based MUGA for football and basketball.
• Knoll Park – Poor quality sand based MUGA for football and basketball.
• Crew Club – 2 recently refurbished hard court MUGAs for football and basketball.
• Preston Park – 3 MUGAs for football and basketball.
• Saunders Park – 1 large MUGA with 2 basketball courts.
• Stoneham Park – 1 hard court MUGA for basketball.
• Carden Park – 1 hard court MUGA for basketball.
• East Brighton Park – 1 hard court MUGA for football.
• Saltdean Oval Park – 1 hard court MUGA for football and basketball.

2.8 Commercial football centres

There are no commercial football centres in Brighton & Hove, however a number of five a side providers do operate leagues using 3G AGP’s in the area, often securing peak evening slots which reduces the availability for club training use.

Providers operating in the area include Power League at Stanley Deason on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (men’s and women’s), Hove Park School (Monday), Portslade Sports Centre (Wednesday) and Withdean Sports Complex (Tuesday & Wednesday starting Sept 24). Play Football at Dorothy Stringer School (Monday) and 5’s football at Dorothy Stringer School (Tuesday, women) Hove Park (Sundays), Manor Road Gym (Tuesday and Thursday, men and women) and Patcham High School (Monday).

Figure 2.5: Council owned sites with grass football pitches for hire

Aldrington Recreation Ground (Wish park), BN3 4LN

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 11 v 11	No	Clubs rate 3/5, 2/5 Standard PitchPower - Good	2	1.75	0.25	Green
Youth 11 v 11	No	PitchPower - Good	4	2.25	1.75	Green
Youth 9 v 9	No	PitchPower - Standard	2	3.25	-1.25	Red
Mini 7 v 7	No	StandardPitchPower - Good	4	2.75	1.25	Green
Mini 5 v 5	No	PitchPower - Poor	2	1.75	0.25	Green

Significant graffiti. Poor public toilets with signs of damage. The council plan to refurbish facilities, which received support from SFA and Sussex Cricket. 2 changing rooms and 1 open showers, no privacy screen. No accessible or ambulant facilities.

Braypool Recreation Ground, BN1 8ZH

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11v11	No	League rate 3/5Club rate 3/5PitchPower - Poor	1	2.5	-1.5	Red
Adult 11 v 11	No	PitchPower - Poor	1	2	-1	Red
Youth 9 v 9	No	PitchPower - Poor	2	3	-1	Red
Adult 11 v 11	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	2	0	Orange

Poor facilities. 10 large changing rooms with open showers, kitchen, and club room. No accessible or ambulant facilities. Evidence of non-booked use by football clubs.

Carden Park, BN3 6EG

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11v11	No	PitchPower - Poor	1	2	-1	Red

Dyke Road Park. BN1 5AS

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	1.75	0.25	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	1.75	2.25	Green

East Brighton Park, BN2 5TS

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11v11	No	Clubs rate 1/5, 2/5PitchPower - Poor	1	1	0	Amber
Adult 11v11	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	2	0	Amber

Separated men's and women's changing rooms and showers. No accessible or ambulant facilities.

Easthill Park, BN41 2FA

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11v11	No	PitchPower - Good	3	0	3	Green

Changing rooms closed due to deterioration. Public and accessible w/c to the rear.

Greenleas, BN3 8AN

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	StandardPitchPower - Good	2	0.5	1.5	Green
Youth 9 v 9	No	StandardPitchPower - Good	2	1	1	Green

Poor facilities. 4 changing rooms, 2 communal showers, public toilet facilities. Rarely used.

Happy Valley Recreation Ground, BN2 6LA

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11v11	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	0.5	1.5	Green
Adult 11 v 11	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	0.5	1.5	Green
Youth 11 v 11	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	0	2	Green
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	1.5	0.5	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	1.5	2.5	Green
Mini 5 v 5	No	Standard	4	0.5	3.5	Green

2 changing rooms, 1 shower block, storage, and public toilets. No accessible or ambulant facilities.

Hove Park, BN3 6BG

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 7 v 7	No	PitchPower - Basic	4	2	2	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	PitchPower - Poor	2	1.5	0.5	Green

Cafe, and public toilets (poor) on site.

Knoll Park, BN3 7JG

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 7 v 7	No	PitchPower - Basic	4	2.5	1.5	Green
Mini 5 v 5	No	PitchPower - Basic	4	2	2	Green

2 pavilions, one leased by bowls, one by the youth club which the football club have informal access to.

Patcham Place Recreation Ground, BN1 8ZF

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	1.5	0.5	Green
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	0.5	1.5	Green

Pavilion closed due to vandalism and damage4 changing rooms, communal showers and w/cs. No accessible or ambulant facilities.

Preston Park, BN1 6SD

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 5 v 5	No	Standard	4	1.75	2.25	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	1.25	2.75	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	1.25	2.75	Green

Café, public toilets, and 4x first floor changing rooms. Male, female, and accessible public toilets.

Rottingdean Recreation Ground, BN2 7DA

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	2.5	-2.5	Red
Mini 7 v 7	No	Poor	2	2.5	-2.5	Red

No changing facilities, but 2 toilets on site, one out of order.

The Crew Club, BN2 5QW

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 7 v 7	No	Poor	2	1	1	Green
Youth 9 v 9	Yes - 5 v 5	Poor	1	1	0	Amber
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	0.5	1.5	Green

Changing block with self-contained showers.

Waterhall Sports Ground, BN1 8YR

Managed and owned by Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	Gaelic Football	League rate 2/5Poor	1	2.75	-1.75	Red
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	2.75	-0.75	Red
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	2.75	-0.75	Red
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	2.75	-0.75	Red
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	2.75	-0.75	Red

Pavilion has been closed for 2 to 3 years 16 changing rooms and 2 sets of communal showers, male toilets internally. Male and female public toilets externally. Large clubroom.

Withdean Sports Complex, BN1 5JD

Owned by Brighton & Hove City Council but managed by Freedom Leisure.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11 stadia pitch	No	Standard Club rate 3/5	2	2.5	-0.5	Red

Modular building separate to leisure centre for changing and clubhouse of pitch. Repairs needed council looking at options for replacement. Public address system floodlights need upgrading.

Figure 2.6 Council owned grass pitches with lease / licence agreements

Benfield Valley Recreation Ground, BN3 7GE

Leased by Portslade Cricket Club - 2 years remaining on 25-year lease

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 11v11	No	StandardPitchPower - Good	4	0.5	3.5	Green
9 v 9	No	StandardPitchPower - Good	4	0.5	3.5	Green

Pavilion with changing, social space bar and kitchen Significant graffiti on the outside of pavilion.

Hollingbury Park (Brentwood Road), BN1 7EX

Hollingbury Hawks lease.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	2.75	-0.75	Red

Changing and toilets in community centre.

Hill Park, BN2 8HJ

Saltdean United own buildings and main pitch. 22-year lease from Brighton & Hove City Council.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11v11	No	Club rate 4/5 PitchPower - Basic	2	2.5	-0.5	Red
Youth 11v11	9 v 9	PitchPower - Poor	1	3	-2	Red
Mini 7 v 7	No	PitchPower - Basic	4	3	1	Green

Standard/good quality clubroom with bar. Good changing facilities (2 changing with integrated showers. + refs changing room. Planning permission has been granted to further improve the facilities.

Horsdean Recreation Ground, BN1 8UA

25-year lease under sports association.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard Club rate 3/5.	4	2	2	Green
Mini 7 v 7	9 v 9	Standard	4	1.5	2.5	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	1.5	2.5	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	1.5	2.5	Green
Mini 5 v 5	No	Standard	4	1.5	3.5	Green

Pavilion with changing recently renovated.

Mile Oak Recreation Ground, BN41 2WF

25-year lease on main pitch, licence on youth pitches

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11v11 stadia pitch	No	Standard	2	3	-1	Red
Youth 9v9	No	Standard	2	1	1	Green
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	2.5	1.5	Green
Mini 5 v 5	No	Standard	4	1.5	2.5	Green

Pavilion average condition but needs work to be more energy efficient and improve layout.

Nevill Playing Fields, BN3 7QD

The council have ground on licence, lease on building

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	StandardClub rate 3/5 - 5/5PitchPower - Poor	2	3	-1	Red
Youth 9 v 9	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	5.5	-3.5	Red
Youth 11 v 11	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	4.25	-2.25	Red
Youth 9 v 9	No	PitchPower - Basic	2	5.25	-3.25	Red
Mini 7 v 7	No	StandardPitchPower - Poor	4	2.25	1.75	Green
Adult 11 v 11	No	StandardPitchPower - Poor	2	5.25	-3.25	Red

Pavilion with 4 changing rooms, basic, recently repainted, separate showers in poor condition. No accessible toilet.

Rottingdean Cricket & Football Club, BN2 7DA

Sublet from Rottingdean Cricket Club. 21 years remaining.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Club rate 4/5PitchPower Good	3	3.5	-0.5	Red
Mini 5 v 5	No	Standard	4	3	1	Green

Standard quality pavilion shared with Rottingdean Cricket Club. 2 x separate changing is available to the football club, separate showers. Pavilion is step 7 compliant.

Southwick Hill Recreation Ground, BN42 4QU

Recurring annual licence to Mile Oak Wanderers.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 11 v 11	No	Poor	1	1.5	-0.5	Red
Youth 9 v 9	No	Poor	1	1.5	-0.5	Red

No ancillary facilities or toilets available

Whitehawk FC (The enclosed ground), BN2 5TS

Club 90+ year lease

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Club rate 2/5Standard	2	1.5	0.5	Green

Changing rooms and showers need refurbishing. Licensed bar.

Figure 2.7 Grass football pitches with other ownership agreements:

Nuffield Playing Fields, BN2 6DX

Commercial ownership. Club annual hire agreement.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 11v11	No	Club rate 3/5Standard	2	4.5	-2.5	Red
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	3.75	-1.75	Red
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	3.75	0.25	Green
Mini 5 v 5	No	Standard	4	3	1	Green

Poor. Container unit on site with changing space and small kitchen area, no mains water (just outside tap) and composing toilets. Damage to flooring and issues with mice.

The Manor Road Gym, BN2 5EA

Council site. Tenancy at Will.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 7 v 7	No	Poor	2	0.5	1.5	Green

Changing and toilets in community centre.

Figure 2.8: Football pitches on education sites

Balfour Junior School, BN1 6NE

Education unaware of CUA

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	3	-1	Red

Blatchington Mill School, BN3 7BW

CUA in place.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	2	0	Amber

Toilet access for football clubs but changing not available.

Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, BN1 9PW

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Good	3	1.5	1.5	Green
9 v 9	5 v 5	Good	4	1.5	2.5	Green

Use of toilets and changing rooms at request of the hiring clubs.

Hertford Junior School, BN1 7FP

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	2	0	Amber

Use of toilets and changing rooms at request of the hiring clubs.

Hove Park School - Nevill Campus, BN3 7BN

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Club rate 5/5Standard	2	2	0	Amber
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	1	1	Amber

Changing available in school.

Hove Park School - Valley Campus, BN3 8AD

CUA in place.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	0.5	3.5	Green

Changing available in school.

Longhill Sports Centre, BN2 7FR

CUA in place – expires August 2025

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Club rate 2/5Standard	2	2.5	-0.5	Red
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	0.5	1.5	Green
Youth 7 v 7	No	Standard	4	0.5	3.5	Green

Changing available in sports centre.

Patcham Junior School, BN1 8PB

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Youth 9 v 9	No	Standard	2	2	0	Amber

Portslade Aldridge Commmunity Academy, BN41 2WS

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Poor	1	3	-2	Red

Changing available in school.

St Bernadette Catholic Primary School, BN1 6UT

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Mini 5 v 5	No	Poor	2	0.5	1.5	Green
Mini 5 v 5	No	Standard	4	0	4	Green

Access to changing facilities if needed.

University of Sussex, BN1 9PL

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Good	3	1.5	2.5	Green
Adult 11 v 11	No	Good	3	1.5	2.5	Green

9 changing rooms – 4 designated male/female (2 male, 2 female), 5 with shared showers. Roof repairs ongoing.

Varndean High School, BN1 6NP

Education unaware of CUA.

Pitches by size	Overmarked	Rating	Capacity	Estimated use	Supply and demand balance	RAG
Adult 11 v 11	No	Standard	2	1.5	0.5	Green

Toilets and changing facilities available upon request.

2.9 Quality

The table below summaries the standard of the pitches assessed. The ratings attributed to each pitch are detailed in the audit spreadsheet. These were informed by a combination of visual assessment on site visits and PitchPower assessments as well as feedback from consultation with user clubs and the Council. It should be noted that in some cases the pitch grading used was different to the PitchPower assessment, based on the current pitch condition, in these cases the quality used is highlighted in bold with PP rating also noted and includes pitches at the following sites Aldrington Rec. ground, Greenleas, Benfield Valley Rec. ground and Nevill Playing Fields (Figures 2.5 and 2.6). This audit data was agreed with the Sussex FA.

Figure 2.9 – Brighton & Hove grass football pitch quality Total Percentage

• Good: 7 (7%)
• Standard/Basic (PP): 73 (72%)
• Poor: 21 (21%)
• Total: 101

21% of pitches in the area that have been assessed are of poor quality, with the majority (72%) of the available grass football pitches accessible for community use in Brighton & Hove rated as ‘standard’ (i.e., providing a playing capacity for up to two match equivalent sessions a week on average for adults). Only 7% of pitches are rated as good.Inadequate natural drainage and compaction of the ground are issues at some of the football pitch sites, due to the largely clay soils of much of the area. Brighton & Hove City Council have received funding from the Football Foundation for specialist equipment to improve the drainage of grass pitches and regular PitchPower assessments are being done to monitor the impact of this.Thirty seven pitches (on 14 sites) in Brighton & Hove have been assessed using the Football Foundation's PitchPower assessment and reporting tool. The PitchPower report findings for these sites identify the maintenance needs required together with budget costs. These sites are identified in Figures 2.5-2.8 with ‘PP’ in brackets next to their pitch rating.

2.10 Informal and unauthorised use of formal pitches by teams

Informal recreational use and unauthorised use of the maintained pitches in Brighton & Hove parks is a challenge for the Council. Clubs tend to take advantage of these sites especially for early and late season training when there is sufficient daylight on weekday evenings. This leads to reduced pitch quality for those that do book and pay for the pitch. The Council strive to address this whether it is by FA affiliated football teams, private soccer schools or independent coaches by aiming to monitor the situation and contacting teams when armed with evidence as well as directing people to use other open spaces and not the formal pitch spaces.

2.11 Artificial grass pitches (AGPs) in Brighton & Hove

In total, there are 25 pitches of various sizes across 15 sites with artificial grass surfaces suitable for football play at some level (i.e., either 3G preferred football surface or a sand-dressed multi use playing surface), which are available for community use. There are 10 FA compliant 3G pitches in the area (although the pitch at Dorothy Stringer School is due to expire in May 2025, at the time of this report), 7 of these are on education sites with high levels of community usage both for training and matches. The 3G pitches at Brighton Aldridge Community Academy and Brighton RFC and the SD pitches at Blatchington Mill School, Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, and Varndean School have some capacity. The pitch at Brighton RFC is primarily used by the rugby club for rugby training and is not FA Registered due to the poor condition of the pitch. At the time of visit, the SD pitch at Varndean School, the new 3G pitch at Cardinal Newman School and the 4 small sided 3G pitches at Withdean Sports Complex were being developed so do not currently have any community use, however all sites are committed to community use once they are opened.

Over half (64.3%) of all the football clubs consulted (12 clubs, 141 teams) stated that the current number of hours available to them for training did not meet their demand and had the following comments.

• We cannot welcome new players and teams due to a lack of training and match space.•We need more 11 v 11 and 7 v 7 pitches.
• Training facilities are limited by lack of 3G availability.
• The cost of training slots on floodlit 3G pitches is too high.
• Availability of 3G pitches does not meet levels of demand.
• Teams have to travel significant distances across the city as there are no suitable 3G pitches in our area for winter training.

There are a number of alternative full size (or near full size) floodlit 3G AGPs in neighbouring boroughs within a 20-minute drive (5-mile catchment area) based on a review of Active Places data as shown in Figure 2.2. A further full size 3G AGP is due to be developed at the Russel Martin Foundation site in Southwick, which is expected to be open in 2025. The future demand for 3G artificial pitches is outlined in Section 5 of this document.

There are also several artificial grass pitches in the city with sand-based playing surfaces designed for hockey as the main sport, but which also accommodate a large amount of demand for small sided football and club training, as detailed in figure 2.11.

2.12 AGPs at risk

There are no AGPs known to be at risk, however there is no known sinking fund in place at the University of Brighton, which could affect the ability to resurface the pitches when needed. At Brighton RFC the value of the sinking fund at the club is not enough to cover the resurfacing due to the increase in costs.

2.13 Proposed new AGPs

Saltdean United FC have received planning permission to install a new full sized, stadia 3G pitch in place of their current main 11v11 pitch, which is due to be completed in time for the start of the 2025/26 season. A full size 3G AGP is due to be provided at Toads Hole Valley as part of housing development and the council are looking to apply for funding to develop a 3G 7v7 pitch in Moulsecoomb. Longhill Sports Centre are exploring options to develop a full sized 3G AGP with potentially a rugby shock pad, but this is subject to funding and planning permission. St Andrews Primary School and Varndean College have been granted planning permission for new 3G pitches.

Figure 2.10: 3G Artificial grass pitches - Situation at individual sites

Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, BN1 9PW

Education unaware of CUA - Sinking fund in place.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
100m x 60m Floodlit 3G	2013	Standard	Yes	31 hrs	22hrs (71%) Football	9	Green

Use of toilets and changing available at request.

Brighton Football Rugby Club, BN1 8YR

Annual lease for the pitches. Sinking fund amount requires clarification.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
119m x 69m Floodlit 3G	2005	Poor	No - Not passed test	34 hrs	17hrs (47%) (estimated) Rugby 11 hrs Other 5hrs	20	Green

6 changing rooms, 2 showers, 200-person capacity clubhouse. Club rate 3/590+ year lease for clubhouse.

Cardinal Newman Catholic School, BN1 8LU

CUA being drafted at time of reporting.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
119m x 69m Floodlit 3G	2005	Poor	No - Not passed test	In development at time of audit but will be available for community use.

New 4 team changing facilities.

Dorothy Stringer School, BN1 6PZ

Education funded through FF - Sinking fund in place. .

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
88m x 56m (9v9) Floodlit 3G	2015	Standard Club rate 4/5	Yes - Expires May 2025	34 hrs	34 hrs (100%)	0	Red

Changing in school block.

Hove Park, BN3 6BG

Russel Martin Foundation - 9 yrs of 15-year lease left. Sinking fund required as part of lease.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
70m x 31m Floodlit 3G	2018	Good	Yes	34 hrs	29 hrs (85%)	5	Amber

None but public toilets available.

Hove Park School - Valley Campus, BN3 8AD

Education site with CUA.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
100m x 63m Floodlit 3G	2021	Good	Yes	29 hrs	29 hrs (100%)	0	Red

Changing in school if needed.

Patcham High School, BN1 8PB

Education site with CUA.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
100m x 63m Floodlit 3G	2021	Good	Yes	25.5 hrs	25.5 hrs (100%)	0	Red

Changing rooms separate to school for ease of community use.

Portslade Sports Centre, BN41 2WS

Operated by Freedom Leisure. Sinking Fund and CUA in place.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
100m x 60m Floodlit 3G	1990 (2019)	Good	Yes	34 hrs	32 hrs (94%)	2	Amber

Changing in leisure centre.

Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, BN2 5PB

Operated by Freedom Leisure. Sinking fund in place.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
95m x 60m Floodlit 3G	1994 (2021)	Good	Yes	34 hrs	28hrs (82%)	6	Amber

Changing and toilet facilities in the leisure centre.

The Manor Road Gym, BN2 5EA

Managed by community organisation. Insufficient sinking fund in place.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
50m x 35m Floodlit 3G	2016	Standard	N/A	34 hrs	28 hrs (82%)	6	Amber

Changing and toilets in community centre.

Withdean Sports Complex, BN1 5JD

Operated by Freedom Leisure.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
4 x small sided 3G courts	2024 due to open 9th April	Good	N/A	In development at time of audit but will be available for community use.

Changing in leisure centre / outdoor modular building.

Varndean School, BN1 6NP

Education unaware of CUA.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
74m x 35m Not Floodlit (portable floodlights) 3G	2002 (2014)	Standard	N/A	29 hrs	29 hrs (100%)	0	Red
9v9 3G Not Floodlit	2024	Good	N/A	29 hrs	29 hrs (100%)	0	Red

Toilets and changing available upon request.

Varndean School, BN1 6NP

Education unaware of CUA.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
60m x 40m Floodlit 3G	2016 (2019)	Good	Yes	34 hrs	27 hrs (80%)	7	Amber
105m x 70m Floodlit 3G WRC	2019	Good	Yes	34 hrs	27 hrs (80%)	7	Amber
60m x 40m Floodlit 3G	2016 (2019)	Good	Yes	34 hrs	27 hrs (80%)	7	Amber

9 changing rooms - 4 designated male/female, 5 shared.

University of Brighton, BN1 9PH

Education unaware of CUA - not aware of sinking fund

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	On FA 3G Reg. Apr 24	Peak hrs available		Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
115m x 76m Floodlit 3G	2007	Poor	Expired	34 hrs	34 hrs (100%)		0	Red

Large changing block with 8 changing rooms.

Figure 2.11: Hockey sand based AGPs available for football training - Situation at Individual Sites

Blatchington Mill School, BN3 7BW

Pitches co-owned by the council - agreement in place - sinking fund in place.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
97m x 62m FloodlitSD ATP (North)	2012	Standard	32 hrs	25hrs (78%) (24 hrs hockey, 1 hr football)	7	Amber
97m x 62m FloodlitSD ATP (South	2012	Standard	32 hrs	16.5 hrs (52%) (10.5 hockey, 6 football)	15.5	Green

Changing rooms in school for hockey club use, as well as access to Cricket Club pavilion.

Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, BN2 5PB

Council owned, operated by Freedom Leisure. 

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
100m x 60m Floodlit SF	1994	Poor	34 hrs	10 hrs 29% (8 hrs football, 2hr other events / rugby tots)	24	Green

Changing available in leisure centre.

University of Sussex, BN1 9PL 

Education unaware of CUA.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
97m x 60m SD Floodlit	1999 (2009)	Standard	34 hrs	34 hrs (100%) 33 hrs hockey 1 hr football	0	Red

9 changing rooms - 4 designated male/female, 5 shared.

Varndean School BN1 6NP

Education unaware of CUA.

Artificial grass pitch size & type	Date built (refurbished)	Rating	Peak hrs available	Estimated use in peak hours	Supply and demand balance	RAG
50m x 30mSF Not Floodlit	2000 (2024)	Good	In development at time of audit but will be available for community use.

Toilets and changing available upon request.

2.14 Ancillary facilities

The ancillary facilities across the city are generally poor quality with several sites needing improvement. Figures 2.5-2.8 detail the situation at each site. Ancillary facilities are closed at Patcham Place Recreation Ground and Waterhall Sports Ground due to vandalism and damage to the facilities and the changing rooms at Easthill Park are also closed. There was ongoing works at the ancillary facilities at Hill Park during site visits, with new facilities being developed as part of Saltdean FC’s ongoing improvements. There is a lack of basic changing or toilet facilities at Hollingbury Park (Brentwood Road) and no changing facilities at Rottingdean Recreation Ground and Southwick Hill Recreation Ground, although public toilets are available. The facilities at many sites are rated poor and require modernisation to accommodate women and girls and provide disability access. These sites are detailed in figure 2.12 below.

Figure 2.12 – Brighton & Hove ancillary facility issues

• Aldrington Recreation Ground (Wish Park) - Public toilets are in poor conditions. No accessible or ambulant facilities. Showers not working.
• Braypool Recreation Ground - Poor quality facilities with minimal maintenance schedule. No accessible or ambulant facilities.
• Easthill Park - Changing rooms closed due to deterioration
• Greenleas Recreation Ground - Poor quality changing and shower facilities.
• Hollingbury Park (Brentwood Road) - No changing facilities or toilets
• Happy Valley - No accessible or ambulant facilities. Public toilets are in poor condition.
• Nuffield Playing Fields - Changing facilities in a storage container with no mains water. Damage to flooring and issues with mice.
• Patcham Place Recreation Ground - Pavilion closed due to vandalism and damage.
• Preston Park - Work ongoing to fix holes in the roof. Changing rooms all on the 1st floor with no disability access.
• Southwick Hill Recreation Ground - No changing facilities
• Victoria Recreation Ground - Main pavilion has poor quality changing and shower facilities. Public toilets closed due to damage.
• Waterhall Sports Ground - Pavilion closed due to vandalism and damage.

The findings relating to football pitch demand in Brighton & Hove are summarised in this section of the report.

3.1 Clubs and teams

In the 2023/24 season, Brighton & Hove had a total of 65 affiliated clubs (including separately constituted youth sections of adult clubs) registered to Sussex FA with 326 teams all playing home fixtures on pitches in the city. The total of 326 teams is an increase of 66 teams - 26% - since the previous audit in 2016 when 260 affiliated teams were registered to Brighton & Hove.

Of the 326 Sussex FA affiliated teams in Brighton & Hove, 71 are adult men's teams (U19 + including veterans and walking football teams), 24 women's teams (U19+ including veterans and small sided), 143 youth teams (U10 – U18) comprising of 48 mixed teams, 56 boys’ teams and 39 girls’ teams and 88 mini-soccer teams (U6 – U10) of which 50 are mixed, 23 are boys’ teams, and 15 are female. 

29% of teams in the city are adult teams (down from 34% in 2018), 44% are youth teams (down from 47%) 27% are mini-soccer teams (up from 20%). There has been an increase of 60 women’s and girl’s teams within the city since the previous report in 2016, an increase of 433%.

14 of the clubs in Brighton & Hove have youth sections with 10 or more age group teams. Of these clubs 4 have over 20 teams, Withdean Youth FC with 32 teams, Hove Park Colts with 26 teams, Mile Oak FC with 25 teams and Woodingdean Wanderers with 24 teams. Withdean Youth FC mostly play home fixtures on 3G pitches available at education sites (Varndean School, Dorothy Stringer and Stanley Deason) but say they are having to turn new players away due to lack of facilities. Hove Park Colts are spread across several sites throughout the city including Nevill Playing Fields, Hove Park (3G), Dyke Road Park, Hove Park Lower School (3G), Greenleas Recreation Ground, and Patcham Place. Mile Oak FC have a 25 year lease on Mile Oak Recreation Ground from the council which covers the main pitch, and a license for use of the youth pitches. They also use the 3G pitch at Portslade Sports Centre for training and occasional matches, however the club state that the hours available to them for training and matches does not meet their demand. Woodingdean Wanderers use a couple of sites throughout the city, with their main ground being Nuffield Playing Fields, which has poor ancillary facilities with no running water. In the 2023/24 season the council developed new youth pitches at Happy Valley for the club to help accommodate their demand for pitches, however, they still require additional facilities to be able to maximise these pitches such as goals for larger pitches, or a secure storage area. All 4 clubs state they need access to more training and match day provision to support the continued growth of their clubs.

3.2 Active Lives Survey

The most recently published findings of the national Active Lives Adult Survey2 (November 2023) showed that self-reported regular participation (i.e., taken part at least twice in the last 28 days) in football within England by adults (aged 16+) increased by 0.2% from 4.4% between November 2021 - November 2022 to 4.6% between November 2022 - November 2023.

If football participation in the city were at the national average in November 2023 (i.e., 4.6%), this would indicate around 10,497 adults (aged 16+) living in Brighton & Hove play football out of a 16+ adult population of approximately 238,562. This playing population considers both regular club participation and regular informal recreational play in parks and hired facilities, and Brighton & Hove residents who participate outside of the city.

The 'adult' football club playing membership in the city is approximately 1,700 players (Sussex FA player registration estimate). Assuming adult football participation in Brighton & Hove is in line with the current national average of 4.6%, this suggests that 84% of total regular adult football participation is either through informal activity outside of a club environment (i.e., through informal games with family, friends and/or work colleagues in parks) or exported to other clubs outside of the city.

3.3 Expressed demand

Expressed demand in the city for all levels and types of football is summarised in this section. Sources of demand information include FA databases, club and league websites, club survey returns, and information gathered from site visits and meetings.

Open age men’s football

There are 7 men’s teams based in Brighton & Hove who play within the National League System. Brighton & Hove Albion FC play at the highest level in the Premier League followed by Whitehawk FC at Step 3. These clubs must comply with the FA’s minimum Ground Grading Guidelines to maintain their league status, promotion from their current division / league requires the club’s home ground to meet the requirements of the corresponding ground grading at each ‘Step’.

Figure 3.1 Senior adult football league clubs

Premiere league

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
Brighton & Hove Albion FC	Premier League	American Express Community Stadium	AMEX Elite Football Performance Centre, Lancing

Step 3

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
Whitehawk FC	Isthmian Football League	The Enclosed Ground (Whitehawk FC)	Stanley Deason Leisure Centre Brighton Aldridge Community Academy Dorothy Stringer School

Step 5

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
AFC Varndenians	Southern combination Football League, Premier Division	Withdean Sports Complex	Brighton Aldridge Community Academy Cardinal Newman School
Saltdean United FC	Southern combination Football League, Premier Division	Hill Park	Newhaven Brighton Aldridge Community Academy University of Sussex

Step 6

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
Mile Oak FC	Southern combinationFootball League, Division One	Mile Oak Recreation Ground	Mile Oak Recreation Ground Portslade Sports Centre

Step 7

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
Brighton Electricity FC	Southern combinationFootball League, Division two	Withdean Sports Complex	Hove Park
Rottingdean Village FC	Southern combinationFootball League, Division two	Rottingdean Cricket Club	Rottingdean Cricket Club Rottingdean Recreation Ground Stanley Deason Leisure Centre

Other adult clubs based in the city and playing within the FA affiliated leagues that have been identified are detailed in Figure 3.2 below.

Figure 3.2: Men's adult league clubs

Clubs	League(S)		Home ground		Training ground
AFC Manor 2 teams	Sussex Sunday League		East Brighton Park		Unknown
AFC Stanley Old Boys	Sussex Sunday League		Victoria Recreation Ground		Victoria Park (Grass)
AFC Varndeanians 4 teams	Sussex Sunday League Mid Sussex Football League Friendlies / Training Only		University of Brighton Withdean Sports Complex		Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, Cardinal Newman
Aldrington Rangers	Sussex Sunday League		Victoria Recreation Ground		Waterhall (Grass)
B Town 2 teams	Sussex Sunday League		Brighton RFC Victoria Recreation Ground		Unknown
BHASVIC 2 teams	ECFA Men’s League		BHASVIC		BHASVIC
Bison Beer 2 teams	Sussex Sunday League		Braypool Recreation Ground Waterhall Sports Ground		Hove Park
BLAGSS	Friendlies/training only		Withdean Sports Complex		N/A
BN3 United		Sussex Sunday League		Aldrington Recreation Ground (Wish Park)		Unknown
Boys Brigade Old Boys		Brighton, Worthing & District Football League		Brighton RFC		Brighton RFC
Brighton & Sussex Medical School		Mid Sussex Football League		University of Brighton		University of Brighton
Brighton Aces		Sussex Sunday League		Patcham Place Rec. Ground		Unknown
Clarendon Athletic		Brighton, Worthing & District Football League		Patcham Place Rec. Ground		Unknown
Crew Club Hawks Athletic		Sussex Sunday League		The Crew Club		The Crew Club
Diversity United		Brighton, Worthing & District Football League		Preston Park		Unknown
East Brighton Wanderers		Sussex Sunday League		East Brighton Park		Unknown
East Sussex Seagulls		Sussex Sunday League		Patcham Place Recreation Ground		Unknown
Garden Bar		Sussex Sunday League		Aldrington Recreation Ground		Unknown
Hove 2 teams		Sussex Sunday Football League		Victoria Recreation Ground		Hove Park School – Valley Campus
Hove Lawns		Sussex Sunday Football League		Aldrington Recreation Ground		Unknown
Hove Lions		Sussex Sunday Football League		Nevill Playing Fields		Portslade Sports Centre
Hove Park Rangers		Sussex Sunday Football League		Victoria Recreation Ground (Portslade)		Hove Park School – Valley Campus
Hove Park Wednesday		Sussex Sunday Football League		Nevill Playing Fields		Hove Park School – Valley Campus
Kingston Broadway		Sussex Sunday Football League		Longhill Sports Centre		Unknown
Knollenton Oak		Sussex Sunday Football League		Victoria Recreation Ground (Portslade)		Unknown
Mile Oak 2 teams		Southern Combination Football League		Mile Oak Recreation Ground		Mile Oak Recreation Ground (Grass) Portslade Sports Centre
Ovingdean		Brighton, Worthing & District Football League		Longhill Sports Centre		Unknown
Patcham United		Sussex Sunday Football League		Patcham High School		Patcham High School
Portslade Athletic 2 teams		Mid Sussex Football League		Brighton Aldridge Community Academy		Hove Park School
Preston Dynamos 1958		Sussex Sunday Football League		Rottingdean Football		Unknown
Preston Manor Royals		Mid Sussex Football League		Portslade Sports Centre		Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Preston Park		Brighton, Worthing & District Football League		Waterhall Sports Ground		Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Queens Park		Sussex Sunday Football League		East Brighton Park		Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Saltdean United FC		Southern Combination Football League		Hill Park		Stanley Deason Leisure Centre
Scape		Brighton, Worthing & District Football League		Preston Park		Aldrington Rec. Ground, The Manor Road Gym
Sporting Hand in Hand		Sussex Sunday Football League		Victoria Recreation Ground		Hove Park School – Valley Campus
SSB Unity		Brighton, Worthing & District Football League		Preston Park		Unknown
The View 2 teams		Mid Sussex Football League		Waterhall Sports Ground		Unknown
University of Brighton 4 teams		BUCS Men's Football		University Of Brighton		University Of Brighton
Varndean College 2 teams		ECFA Men's League		Varndean College		Varndean College
West Hove Jaguars		Sussex Sunday Football League		Victoria Recreation Ground (Portslade)		Portslade Sports Centre
Whitehawk Rangers		Sussex Sunday Football League		East Brighton Park		Dorothy Stringer
Withdean Youth		Sussex Sunday Football League		Stanley Deason Leisure Centre		Stanley Deason Leisure Centre Varndean School
Woodingdean Wanderers 4 teams		Sussex Sunday Football League		Happy Valley Recreation Ground   Longhill Sports Centre Rottingdean Football		Various 3G pitches across are

Youth football

There are 21 youth football clubs in Brighton & Hove, 10 of these have 10 or more teams playing in affiliated leagues. The two largest youth clubs, Withdean Youth FC and Hove Park Colts FC regularly put out 32 teams and 26 youth teams respectively.

Youth and mini soccer teams	League(s)			Home ground			Training ground
AFC Varndeanians 2 teams	Mid Sussex Youth FL Southern Combination FL			Brighton Aldridge Community Academy			Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, Cardinal Newman
Coldean Colts 11 teams	Mid Sussex Youth FL			Wild Park			Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Crew Club Hawks 3 teams	Mid Sussex Youth FL			The Crew Club			The Crew Club
Goldstone Valley 1 team	Mid Sussex Youth FL			Nevill Playing Fields			Portslade Sports Centre
Hangleton Rangers Yth 14 teams	Mid Sussex Youth FL Sussex Sunday Youth FL			Knoll Park Nevill Playing Fields Hove Park School – Valley Campus			Blatchington Mill School Portslade Sports Centre
Hollingbury Hawks Colts & Youth 9 teams	Mid Sussex Youth FL Sussex Sunday Youth FL			Braypool Recreation Ground Hollingbury Park Patcham Place Rec. Ground Preston Park The Manor Road Gym			Preston Park (Grass), Hollingbury Park (Grass), Dorothy Stringer, Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, Varndean School
Hove 3 teams	Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL			Hove Park Victoria Recreation Ground (Portslade)			Hove Park School – Valley Campus
Hove Park Colts 17 teams	Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL			Dyke Road Park Hove Park Nevill Playing Fields			Hove Park School – Valley Campus, Hove Park Council rec grounds (Grass)
Hove Rivervale Youth 4 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL			Benfield Valley Recreation Ground Braypool Recreation Ground			University Of Brighton
Mile Oak 23 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL			Mile Oak Recreation Ground Portslade Sports Centre Portslade Aldridge Community Academy			Mile Oak Recreation Ground Portslade Sports Centre
Moulsecoomb & Bevendean 2 teams		Mid Sussex Youth FL			Brighton Aldridge Community Academy			Unknown
Patcham United 16 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL			Carden Park Horsdean Rec. Ground			Carden Park, Horsdean Rec. Ground (Grass), Patcham High School
Poets Corner 10 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL			Aldrington Recreation Ground Hove Park School – Valley Campus			Aldrington Recreation Ground (Grass), Hove Park School – Valley Campus, Portslade Sports Centre
Rottingdean Village 9 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL			Rottingdean Football			Stanley Deason Leisure Centre
Saltdean United FC 13 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL			Hill Park Saltdean Park			Stanley Deason Leisure Centre
Sussex Girls JPL RTC 5 teams		Junior Premier League			Stanley Deason Leisure Centre			Stanley Deason Leisure Centre
Sussex Lionesses 1 team			Sussex County Women & Girls Football League			Stanley Deason Leisure Centre
West Hove Dynamos 6 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth Football League			Aldrington Recreation Ground			Aldrington Recreation Ground (Grass) Blatchington Mill School
Whitehawk 2 teams		Mid Sussex Youth FL Isthmian Youth FL			East Brighton Park The Enclosed Ground			Stanley Deason Leisure Centre
Withdean Youth 19 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL Junior Premier League			Dorothy Stringer School (3G)			Varndean School
Woodingdean Wanderers 17 teams		Sussex Sunday Youth FL Mid Sussex Youth FL Junior Premier League			Nuffield Hospital Happy Valley Rec Ground Longhill High School			Stanley Deason Leisure Centre

There are two women’s teams who play within the tier system 1-5, Brighton & Hove Women’s at the highest level in the Women’s Super league and Saltdean United FC Women playing Tier 5. The other senior women’s teams play at Tier 7 County league level.

Figure 3.4 - Senior women's teams

Tier 1 National

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
Brighton & Hove Albion Women’s	Women's Super League	Broadfield Stadium, Crawley American Express Community Stadium	AMEX Elite Football Performance Centre, Lancing

Tier 5 Women’s regional league

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
Saltdean United FC Women	London and South East Regional Women’s FL	Hill Park	Newhaven Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, University of Sussex

Tier 7 Women’s county leagues

Football clubs	League(s)	Home ground	Training ground
Saltdean United FC Women Developmen	Sussex County Women FL	Hill Park Portslade Sports Centre	NewhavenBrighton Aldridge Community Academy University of Sussex
Brighton Seagals	Sussex County Women FL	Brighton Aldridge Community Academy	Portslade Sports Centre Blatchington Mill School
Hollingbury Hawks Women	Sussex County Women FL	Braypool Recreation Ground	Preston Park, BHASVIC Dorothy Stringer, Hollingdean
Mile Oak FC Women	Sussex County Women FL	Mile Oak Recreation Ground	Mile Oak Recreation Ground Portslade Sports Centre
Whitehawk Women	Sussex County Women FL	The Enclosed Ground (Whitehawk FC)	Stanley Deason Brighton Aldridge Community Academy Dorothy Stringer School
Woodingdean Wanderers Women	Sussex County Women FL	Longhill Sports Centre	Nuffield Playing Fields Happy Valley recreation Ground

There are a total of 55 women’s and girl’s teams (including friendly / training only teams) affiliated to the Sussex FA. Those outside of the Tier system are listed below.

Figure 3.5: Clubs with women and girl's teams

Other women and girls’ teams	Leagues	Home ground	Training ground
5s Football •12 teams	Small sided league	The Manor Road Gym	N/A
AFC Varndeanians Vets 1 team	Friendlies / Training Only	N/A	Withdean Sports Complex
BHASVIC U19 1 team	ECFA Women's League	Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College Sports Centre	Brighton Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College Sports Centre
Brighton Seagals Recreational	Friendlies only	Brighton Aldridge Community Academy	Blatchington Mill School
Coldean Colts 4 teams (U10, U12x2, U13)	Friendlies / Training Only Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Wild Park	Brighton Aldridge Community Academy
Hangleton Rangers Youth 2 teams (U10,U12)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Nevill Playing Fields Hove Park School – Valley Campus	Blatchington Mill School Portslade Sports Centre
Hollingbury Hawks Youth 5 teams (U9, U11,U14,U15,U16)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Braypool Recreation Ground Brentwood Road Patcham Place Recreation Ground The Manor Road Gym	Preston Park (Grass), Hollingbury Park (Grass), Dorothy Stringer, Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, Varndean School
Hove Park Colts 9 teams (U9-U15)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Dyke Road Park Nevill Playing Fields	Hove Park School – Valley Campus Hove Park Council rec grounds (Grass)
Mile Oak 3 teams (U9,U14,U16)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Mile Oak Recreation Ground Portslade Sports Centre Portslade Aldridge Community Academy	Mile Oak Recreation Ground Portslade Sports Centre
Poets Corner 2 teams (U12, U15)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Aldrington Recreation Ground	Aldrington Recreation Ground (Grass), Hove Park School – Valley Campus, Portslade Sports Centre
Saltdean United FC 2 teams (U9, U13)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League London and SE Regional Women’s Football League	Hill Park Saltdean Park	Stanley Deason Leisure Ce
Socialball	Sussex County FA Women’s Walking Football	Portslade Sports Centre	N/A
Sussex Girls JPL RTC 5 teams (U12-U18)	Junior Premier League	Stanley Deason Leisure Centre	Stanley Deason Leisure Centre
Sussex Lionesses (U10)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Stanley Deason Leisure Centre	N/A
University of Brighton	BUCS Women's Football	University Of Brighton	University Of Brighton
Withdean Youth 14 teams (U9-U16)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Dorothy Stringer School (3G)	Varndean School
Woodingdean Wanderers 7 teams (U9-U15)	Sussex County Women & Girls Football League	Nuffield Playing Fields	Stanley Deason Leisure Centre

Disability football

There is one affiliated disability specific team in Brighton & Hove playing powerchair football run by Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation, but the foundation run a comprehensive disability programme with over 400 members accessing sessions each week. There are a further eight disability teams from the area that play at a central venue in Lancing.

3.4 Soccer schools

There is significant demand for playing space for children's football coaching in Brighton & Hove, whether from commercial soccer schools, coaching providers or coaching organised by local community football clubs. Several youth football clubs based in the city run development sessions for u5s and u6s and/or soccer schools in the school holidays to generate income for their clubs and as a pathway to feed new teams.

Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation, Brighton Galaxy Girls Football, and The Russell Martin Foundation are key providers of coaching provision within Brighton & Hove offering football sessions across the whole city for a broad range of demographics.

Brighton & Hove Albion Foundation offer a wide range of sporting opportunities which are specifically tailored to different demographic groups. They provide opportunities for children and young people, women and girls, and offer a range of different disability sessions. Their main weekly sessions (hub activity, pathway centres and holiday provision) all taking place mainly on 3G pitches at Dorothy Stringer School (Mon, Wed, Fri) and Patcham High School (Tues, Thurs) as well as using their out of area training ground at Lancing. They run a Kick’s inclusion programme at The Manor and use the University of Sussex and BACA for their girls and disability sessions.

Brighton Galaxy Girls Football runs after school and academy provision with up to 15 sessions each week for over 300 girls, they link with Withdean youth to provide girls with an opportunity to play regular matches within the club’s girls’ section. They use facilities at Balfour Primary School, Blatchington Mill School, Varndean School, and Varndean College.

The Russell Martin Foundation supports young people 4-19 years and runs a number of academy courses at the Hove Park 3G and BACA as well as sites outside of the city.

3.5 Casual demand

Casual football play among groups of children and adults, using free to use open access grass and MUGA in public parks continues to be a major feature of football demand. Indeed, the Active Lives Survey data suggests that 90% of all regular adult football played in the area is unaffiliated football within small-sided leagues, friendly games or park kick-abouts.

As identified in the supply section of the report, Brighton & Hove provides for informal football demand by maintaining open areas of grass in parks and open spaces, open access MUGAs or single sets of small size goalposts (such as Hangleton Park). Where these informal play facilities are provided in parks alongside formal pitches designated for match play, they help to reduce wear of the formal pitches.

However, it has been identified that formal pitches in the area are subject to unauthorised use by organised teams and soccer schools for training and coaching.

3.6 Unmet / Latent demand

One club reported unmet demand with Mile Oak FC stating that they have demand for up to 10 boys’ teams and 3 girls’ teams, based on interest and those training with the club but the lack of facilities prevents them from being able to accommodate extra teams. Other clubs and leagues highlighted ambitions for growth to meet perceived latent demand, e.g., teams that could be created if additional pitch provision were available. This information is drawn from the club consultation surveys carried out from March to July 2024 and therefore only includes those clubs that completed the survey. Conversion of this perceived latent demand into new teams will depend on these clubs engaging sufficient volunteer team managers and coaches as well as securing suitable pitches to play and train on in the peak period. Figure 3.6 outlines the growth aspirations of clubs, and it is apparent that there is latent demand in the city for all formats of football from youth to adult football including women and girl’s provision. This demand is explored further in Section 5 which outlines the effect of these potential demand trends.

Figure 3.6: Brighton & Hove football clubs - Self-Reported team growth plans

• AFC Varndeanians - We want to start a women's team.
• BHAFC Foundation - No details provided
• Brighton, Worthing and District Football League No details provided
• Clarendon Athletic - Develop youth teams
• Coldean Colts FC - Continuing growth from the last 3 years
• Hangleton Rangers FC - More Girls teams
• Hollingbury Hawks Youth & Colts FC - Through the development of the Wildcats and Saturday morning sessions, there is greater interest including from mums and dads
• Hove Park Colts FC - We plan to increase the size of the club having two teams at each age group.
• Mile Oak FC - Our objective within the next 36 months is to have the volume of boy’s teams mirrored by girls’ teams and bring our total youth structure closer to 50 teams.
• Ovingdean FC - No details provided
• Patcham United - Running girls only sessions with the local school to encourage more girls to join a team and play football
• Poets' Corner FC - New Under 7s teams
• Rottingdean Village FC - We expect sustained but gradual growth of youth football in particular to fill the age groups where we do not currently have teams.
• Saltdean United FC - No details provided
• Scape FC - No details provided
• Sussex Girls JPL RTC - We would like our own ground and also develop a grassroots programme for development
• Sussex Sunday Youth FL - No details provided
• Sussex Sunday FL - League grows by around 5 teams per year on average
• The Caxton Arms FC - We would like to create a reserve team to our first team.
• Whitehawk Football Club - Continue to expand youth, women, disability and vets’ teams.
• Woodingdean Wanderers Football Club - We need help to find/secure additional suitable facilities, in our area, to help us accommodate the steady growth of the Club.

3.7 Displaced and imported demand

The research and consultation show that as far as match play is concerned, there is some displaced demand of football - i.e., teams of clubs based in Brighton & Hove having to travel outside the area to find pitches to play home fixtures or for training. Brighton & Hove Albion Women’s FC play the majority of their games at the Broadfield Stadium in Crawley and train at the club’s training ground in Lancing.

The club are actively seeking a suitable site to develop a specific stadium for the Women’s team. Saltdean United reporting they travel to Newhaven 3G (Lewes) for training as well as using facilities in Brighton & Hove.

There is imported demand from clubs from outside the city using the facilities for training. Two clubs at the University of Sussex, Montpelier Villa FC (Adur) and Crawley Town (Crawley), one club at University of Brighton, Peacehaven and Telscombe Rangers FC (Lewes) and two clubs at Blatchington Mill School, Fishergate Flyers (Adur), and Southwick Youth (Adur).

Eight clubs in the area have teams training on sand dressed artificial pitches (A&R United, Hangleton Rangers, Hollingbury Hawks, West Hove Dynamos, Saltdean Utd, Seagulls, Sussex Girls JPL RTC and Woodingdean Wanderers youth) and some clubs report using grass pitches for training throughout the season (Hollingbury Hawks, Hove Park Colts, Mile Oak, Patcham United, Poets Corner and West Hove Dynamos). It is likely other youth training takes place on grass pitches particularly in the lighter evenings and at weekends. Adult Sunday teams will typically train on grass pitches in the early season then either stop training, utilise artificial pitches where space allows or play within a 5-a-side league.

4.1 Grass pitch sites

The grass football pitches were assessed in March of the 2023/24 season, with most of the sites assessed using the methodology established by Sport England and the FA in the published Playing Pitch Strategy Guidance (2013) - i.e., a non-technical visual site assessment. Fourteen of the grass pitch football sites had a more in-depth assessment using the Football Foundation's PitchPower methodology and reporting. Sussex FA have reviewed the findings of these site-specific assessments and agreed the quality ratings as a basis for comparison of the amount of play each site can accommodate (i.e., 'carrying capacity') against the amount of play that takes place. Carrying capacity is a measure of the number of match equivalent sessions per week for community use each pitch can take without adversely affecting its quality and use.

The following pitch carrying capacities have been used and are consistent with the PPS Guidance methodology, informed (where applicable) by the Performance Quality Standard ratings (from Poor to High) in the PitchPower Assessment Reports.

Figure 4.1: Grass football pitch carrying capacity

Based on PPS guide ratings and PitchPower PQS rating

Good / High or Advanced

Number of match equivalent sessions a week

• Adult football: 3
• Youth football (11 v11 and 9 v 9): 4
• Mini soccer (7 v 7 and 5 v 5): 6

Standard / Basic or Good

Number of match equivalent sessions a week

• Adult football: 2
• Youth football (11 v11 and 9 v 9): 2
• Mini soccer (7 v 7 and 5 v 5): 4

Poor / Poor

Number of match equivalent sessions a week

• Adult football: 1
• Youth football (11 v11 and 9 v 9): 1
• Mini soccer (7 v 7 and 5 v 5): 2

The full pitch audit details the situation at each individual football site with regard to:

• Pitch supply (including the quality ratings) and conclusions reached as to the amount of play a site can accommodate (i.e., its carrying capacity for community use);
• The amount of play that takes place at each site (i.e., the expressed demand where known) adjusted to reflect any casual or education use in addition to club use for matches and training;
• The comparison (shown as a RAG rating) as to whether, for each pitch type it contains, a site is:
  • Red - Being overplayed (current use exceeds the carrying capacity)
  • Amber - Being played to the level the site can sustain (current use matches the carrying capacity)
  • Green - Potentially able to accommodate some additional play (current use falls below the carrying capacity)

There are twelve sites highlighted from the site audit spreadsheet as RED rated sites where the majority of the available natural turf football pitches are overplayed.

• Balfour Junior School
• Portslade Aldridge Community Academy
• Braypool Rec. ground
• Rottingdean Rec ground
• Carden Park
• Southwick Hill Rec ground
• Hill Park
• Waterhall Sports Ground
• Hollingbury Park (Brentwood Road)
• Wild Park
• Nevill Playing fields
• Withdean Sports Complex
• Nuffield Playing Fields

The table below compares estimates of the total football play on natural grass pitches in the peak period (weekends and evenings) against available capacity across all the football playing field sites in the areas.

Figure 4.2: Grass pitches supply / demand balance –community football sites

Figure 4.2: Grass pitches supply / demand balance –community football sites Pitch Type	Capacity (MES / Week)	Estimated use (MES/ Week)	Supply / Demand balance
11v11 (Open Age, Veterans, U19, U18, U17)	72	75	-3
Youth 11v11 (U13-U16)	22	22.5	-0.5
Youth 9v9 (U11-U12	40	42.25	-2.25
Mini Soccer 7v7 (U9-U10)	78	39.5	38.5
Mini Soccer 5v5 (U7-U8)	38	17.25	20.75
Total	250	196.5	53.5

The table shows that there is a positive supply balance (i.e., unused capacity) of natural turf pitches for football in the area for Mini Soccer. However, not all of this accounts for actual spare capacity in peak periods (Saturday PM and Sunday all day for adult football, Sunday all day for youth boys / girls’ football), some sites may be managed to below capacity to account for recreational / friendly matches, others do not have secured community use e.g., education sites and pitches rated as poor quality should also be discounted. It should also be noted that as shown earlier there are 73 youth teams (U13-U16) playing in the area (figure 2.3) equating to 37 MES but estimated use above equates to 22 MES, a difference of 15 MES. Whilst some of this use may be on 3G artificial pitches it is likely some matches are either played on the wrong size pitch creating additional pressure on adult 11v11 pitches.

Figure 4.3 lists the natural turf playing pitch sites with capacity to determine if this capacity is available in the relevant peak period and secured.

Figure 4.4 below summarises the final capacity in the peak period across each type of natural turf pitch after discounting capacity due to unavailability in peak period or pitches being unsecured or of poor quality

Pitch type	Capacity (MES / Week)	Estimated use (MES/ Week)	Supply / Demand balance	Capacity discounted	Capacity in peak period	Pitch equivalent*
11v11 (Open Age, Veterans, U19, U18, U17)	72	75	-3	-8.5	-11.5	-5
Youth 11v11 (U13-U16)	22	22.5	-0.5	0	-0.5	0
Youth 9v9 (U11-U12	40	42.25	-2.25	-4.25	-6.5	-3
Mini Soccer 7v7 (U9-U10)	78	39.5	38.5	-10	28.5	7
Mini Soccer 5v5 (U7-U8)	38	17.25	20.75	-7.25	13.5	3
Total	250	196.5	53.5	-30	24.5	2

It should be noted that whilst the overall supply and demand balance appears to show a large surplus in match equivalent sessions (MES) per week, when this is converted into pitch equivalents (based on a standard pitch quality e.g. 2 MES for adult 11v11, 2 MES for youth 11v11/ 9v9, 4 MES for 7v7/5v5), it shows clear need to provide more 9v9 and adult 11v11 pitches, there is also a need for more youth 11v11 provision given the number of teams in the area and the lack of pitches, resulting in some teams using the wrong size pitch. This could be partly achieved by reconfiguring some of the spare 7v7 and 5v5 pitches into larger sizes, but this would still not cater for the number of pitches needed. For example, 2 x 7v7 pitches would be required for an adult 11v11 and 2 x 5v5 pitches for a 9v9 pitch. This also does not cater for future demand for pitches covered in section 5.2.

4.3 The FA National Football Facilities Strategy

In 2018, in partnership with the Football Foundation and Sport England, the Football Association developed a ten-year investment plan in facilities for grass roots football - The National Football Facilities Strategy 2018-2028. The facilities strategy aims to ensure that by 2028:

• Every FA-affiliated club has access to a 3G artificial pitch for training and potentially matches.
• Accelerated improvements are made to the key grass pitch sites across England to reduce fixture cancellations.

To support delivery of the FA’s new national strategy titled ‘A Thriving Grassroots Game’, Sussex FA - in partnership with the Football Foundation and the county local authorities - is focused on the following interventions in relation to the overarching priority to Build more and improve existing facilities:

Transform grass pitch quality

• Engage with organisations to create a pipeline of projects
• Provide post award support to organisation receiving Grass Pitch Maintenance funding

Support the development of more 3G pitches

• Encourage organisations to deliver the 3G projects identified in the Local Football Facility Plans
• Specific goal of seeking partnerships which could facilitate a Sussex County FA run facility in the east of the county

Create inclusive and accessible facilities

• Ensure all planning application projects are welcoming, inviting and feel safe for women and girls
• Ensure each Football Foundation project is community led

Improvement environmental sustainability

• Embrace the Football Foundation Energy Fund

4.4 Brighton & Hove Local Football Facilities Plan

A Local Football Facilities Plan (LFFP) for Brighton & Hove was published separately by the Football Foundation in May 2019 informed by consultation with the Council, Sussex FA and the large community football clubs based in the city.

The priorities for Brighton & Hove were the delivery of four additional full size floodlit 3G AGPs (at Patcham High School, Portslade Sports Centre, Toads Hole Valley, and Waterhall Sports Ground) and three small sided 3G AGPs (Withdean Sports Complex, Moulsecoomb Community Leisure Centre, University of Brighton). The full sized pitches at Patcham High School and Portslade Sports centre have been delivered along with the small sided pitches at Withdean Sports Complex. The Toads Hole Valley 3G is due to be provided as part of housing development and the council are currently developing an application for a small sided pitch at Moulsecoomb Community Leisure Centre.

Twelve projects were prioritised for the improvement of grass pitches. Improvements are in progress or have been carried out at 5 of the 12 sites (Aldrington Rec ground, Greenleas Rec. ground, Happy Valley Rec. ground, Mile Oak Rec. ground, and Nevill Playing Fields). An updated LFFP is scheduled to be prepared and published in 2025.

The Playing Pitch Strategy methodology is more detailed than that used to inform the LFFP investment priorities. Accordingly, whilst in most instances there is a good deal of commonality between the PPS and LFFP in terms of the conclusions reached, this is not always the case. The LFFP does not provide an evidence base to inform the development planning process, so the PPS should be referred to as the evidence base.

4.5 FA training scenario for 3G AGP assessments of need

The FA has designed a model scenario to help with understanding what demand there may be for full size equivalent floodlit 3G AGPs if increased amounts of play were to take place on them. The scenario question tested is: How many full size floodlit 3G AGPs may be required to meet demand within the city if all teams playing competitive football had access to a full size floodlit 3G AGP to train on once a week?

The answer to this scenario question for Brighton & Hove is set out below based on the current 6 full size (or near full size) floodlit 3G AGPs on the FA Register which have community use for football during peak periods3 (Brighton Aldridge Community Academy, Hove Park School – Valley Campus, Patcham High School, Portslade Sports Centre, Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, Uni of Sussex), as well as the following 3 smaller sized pitches on the FA Register (Dorothy Stringer School-9v9, Uni of Sussex-7v7 and Hove Park-7v7), equating to one further full sized pitch and a new full sized pitch which has recently been completed at Cardinal Newman School. Making a total of 8 full sized pitches or equivalent in the city.

Two full sized pitches in the area have been discounted due to their poor condition. The pitch at Brighton RFC, which is predominately for Rugby and the pitch at the University of Brighton, both pitches are not on the FA Register but still cater for some club training. There are also a number of smaller facilities discounted that cater for recreational provision including student use, 5-aside matches and coaching programmes of which there is significant demand for in Brighton & Hove (The Manor Road Gym, Varndean School, Withdean Sports Complex, University of Sussex).

As a guide the FA suggest that one full size floodlit 3G AGP could potentially accommodate the training demand from 38 teams. The information from the assessment indicates that there are 326 teams playing competitive football in Brighton & Hove and as such the 1:38 ratio suggests that 9 (rounded up from 8.6) full size equivalent floodlit 3G AGPs would be required to meet 100% of team football training on 3G within the city. As such there is a need for a minimum of one further accessible full sized pitch in the area to support current training and match play demands.

The majority of full sized 3G pitches are used to capacity during peak hours, with little free time. It should also be noted that some of the facilities across Brighton & Hove have limited hours for community use either due to school access up to 6pm or floodlighting restrictions on evening and weekend use for example Patcham High school is only available for 25.5 peak hours out of a maximum of 34. The club training scenario calculation also takes no account of the accessibility of the available AGPs to clubs nor cost / affordability issues.

5.1 Grass pitches

A number of playing field sites in Brighton & Hove have pitches that are being played to capacity or overplayed, these are either sites that are the home ground for clubs with a large number of teams and a limited number of pitches, such as Hill Park (Saltdean United), Nuffield Playing Fields (Woodingdean Wanderers FC), Rottingdean Cricket & Football Club and Rottingdean Rec. ground (Rottingdean FC) and Wild Park (Coldean Colts) or those with good maintenance with additional clubhouse facilities which make them popular (Nevill Playing Fields, Withdean Sports Complex) or have poor maintenance and limited capacity and used for adult football (Braypool Rec Ground, Carden Park, Waterhall Sports ground).

There is a shortfall of pitches for Youth 9v9, Youth 11v11 or Adult 11v11 pitches in the peak period once poor pitches and those unsecured are discounted, there is some capacity for Mini Soccer 7v7 and 5v5 pitches, but this is likely to be needed in the future with the increasing demand for youth football.

The PitchPower report findings for the sites in Brighton & Hove identifies the potential for enhanced quality and playing capacity at a number of sites if the ongoing pitch maintenance can be improved.

AGPs

The trends in football point to the continuing growth in the recreational game including walking football, small sided and women’s recreation provision as well as youth, mini soccer and girls’ football, the provision of more full size 3G football AGPs on the FA Register with large youth clubs as the primary user will help to accommodate training and match day provision reducing the need for training on grass pitches, as well as the number of over-marked or overused natural turf pitches.

5.2 Future

To estimate the potential impact of population growth over the strategy period to 2041 on the need for football pitch capacity in the peak period, Sport England's Playing Pitch Calculator (PPC) tool has been used to determine the number of teams likely to be generated in the future based on population growth.

To meet football demand from 12,477 additional residents (as currently forecast4) and assuming current levels of football demand by age group for matches and training in the peak period, the PPC indicates that the equivalent capacity of +2.06 adult football pitches, +3.39 youth football pitches and +1.26 mini soccer pitches will be needed in the area (totaling +6.71 natural turf pitches) as well as +13.42 hours of estimated demand for training per week, equivalent of a third of a full sized (0.35) AGP, see figure 5.1.

Football	No of pitches to meet demand
Adult	2.06
Youth	3.39
Mini	1.26
Total grass pitches	6.61
Training	13.42 (Hours)
Total AGP	0.35

Potential effect of demand trends (how pitch sports are played)

Among adults, national trends show a reduction in interest in taking part in sports that demand a commitment to regular attendance, in favour of more casual involvement. This national picture is reflected in Brighton & Hove where Sussex FA adult team affiliations has decreased by 12 teams (from 83 in 2016 to 71 in 2023/24). Youth football continues to show a growth trend, but this growth slows through the older youth age groups when exams and other interests tend to impact. The biggest growth in Brighton & Hove has been in mini soccer teams with an additional 37 teams (from 51 in 2016 to 88 in 2023/24). Clubs through their survey returns have indicated further growth aspirations for adult and youth teams. A total of 19 clubs and two leagues in the area outlined growth aspirations, as outlined in Section 3, figure 3.5, and whilst clubs are reliant on volunteers to deliver this growth it is reasonable to suggest that with sufficient facilities each club could grow by 1-2 teams a year, resulting in a possible additional 19-38 teams a year. There is also likely to be a further increase in demand for girls’ football following the success of the England Women’s team and the FA’s investment in development programmes such as the girls football school’s partnership and Wildcats and Squad Girls at club level.

The FA’s insight shows that youth football is growing at an average of 3.09% year on year. Brighton & Hove’s previous strategy in 2016 predicted a growth of 22 teams based on population rates to 2030, this number has already been exceeded in 2024 by an extra 44 teams in the city, which is a growth rate of 3.15% per year.

In view of these demand pressures, a further run of the Playing Pitch Calculator has been made to show the possible impact on pitch needs with an adjusted demand rate of 69% for youth football (3.15% iterative increase per year over 16 years).

Figure 5.2: Demand from population growth and increase in youth football demand

Football	No. of pitches to meet demand	Rounded
Adult	2.06	2
Youth	5.72	6
Mini	2.14	3
Total grass pitches	9.92	11
Training	19.84 (Hours)	20
Total AGP	0.52	0.5

To meet football demand from 12,477 additional residents and adjusting demand for a growth of 69% in youth football for matches and training in the peak period until 2041, the PPC indicates that the equivalent capacity of +2 adult football pitches, +6 youth football pitches and +3 mini soccer pitches will be needed in the area (totaling +11 natural turf pitches) as well as 20 hours of training on a 3G pitch equivalent to half an additional AGP needed. Figure 5.3 outlines the effects of future demand on pitch capacity based on population growth and adjusted demand.

Pitch type		Pitch equivalent capacity in peak period		Demand (pitch equivalent)
			Future demand		Total
11v11 (Open Age, Veterans, U19, U18, U17)	-5		2		-7
Youth 11v11 (U13-U16)	0		6		-9
Youth 9v9 (U11-U12			-3
Mini Soccer 7v7 (U9-U10)	7		3		7
Mini Soccer 5v5 (U7-U8)			3
Total	2		11		-9

 

Figure 6.1: Football key findings and issues

The main characteristics of the current supply of and demand for provision

There have been significant changes to the facilities for football in Brighton & Hove since the last facility review in 2016. On the supply side, there has been additional provision of new full sized 3G AGPs at Hove Park School (2021), Patcham High School (2021), and the University of Sussex (2019) as well as a 70x31m 3G AGP at Hove Park (2018) with LED floodlights installed in 2021. In addition, the AGPs at Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, Portslade Sports Centre, and the 60x40m 3G AGP at the University of Sussex have all been resurfaced. There are also 4 new small-sided 3G AGP’s at Withdean Sports Complex and a full size pitch at Cardinal Newman School being completed ready for the 24/25 season. There has been some changes to grass pitch provision with new youth grass pitches developed at Happy Valley Recreation Ground, improvements to pitch maintenance at Aldrington Rec Ground (Wish Park), Greenleas Rec Ground, Happy Valley Recreation Ground and Nevill Playing Fields, and the youth pitches at Mile Oak Rec ground, and one of the adult pitches at Nevill Playing Fields being renovated. 101 grass pitches are identified as available for community football across the city, on 42 operational playing pitch sites. Along with 10 FA compliant 3G pitches in the area of various sizes. Key trends in football demand identified in 2016 have continued to impact and Brighton & Hove have seen a growth in all areas except adult male football, with the biggest growth being in women and girls’ football and mini soccer teams. In the 2023/24 season, Brighton & Hove had a total of 65 affiliated clubs (including separately constituted youth sections of adult clubs) registered to Sussex FA with 326 teams playing home fixtures in the area. This is an increase of 66 teams - 26% - since the previous audit in 2016 when 260 affiliated teams were registered to Brighton & Hove. There is also significant demand for small sided, recreational and informal formats of the game across the city.

Is there enough accessible and secured community use provision to meet current demand?

No - A number of playing field sites in Brighton & Hove have pitches that are being played to capacity or overplayed, these are either sites that are the home ground for clubs with a large number of teams and a limited number of pitches, such as Hill Park (Saltdean United), Nuffield Playing Fields (Woodingdean Wanderers FC), Rottingdean Cricket & Football Club, and Rottingdean Rec. ground (Rottingdean FC), and Wild Park (Coldean Colts) or those with either good maintenance with additional clubhouse facilities which make them popular (Nevill Playing Fields, Withdean Sports Complex) or have poor maintenance and limited capacity and used for adult football (Braypool Rec Ground, Carden Park, Waterhall Sports ground) There is a shortfall of pitches for Youth 9v9, Youth 11v11 or Adult 11v11 pitches in the peak period once poor pitches and those unsecured are discounted, there is some capacity for Mini Soccer 7v7 and 5v5 pitches, but this is likely to be needed in the future with the increasing demand for youth football. There are shortfalls in provision of 3G pitches to meet training demand. There are several clubs who travel outside of the area for training or use sand based pitches or grass areas for training, which constrains the growth aspirations of these clubs and contributes to latent demand. To meet the shortfall in current supply investment is needed in the provision of one more full size 3G football AGP in the area which should be strategically located in the East to support youth clubs in this area to meet the needs of their teams for training and matches.

Is the provision that is accessible of sufficient quality and appropriately maintained?

No - The majority of AGPs in the area are of good quality, with newly laid playing surfaces, however two are poor and no longer meet FA Standards (Brighton Football Rugby Club and University of Brighton). A number of grass pitches (21%) are of a poor-quality suffering from poor natural drainage, compaction of the ground and overuse, thereby limiting the playing capacity of these pitches. To address this issue on a large scale would require significant additional investment in maintenance works at the frequencies required to effectively aerate and de-compact the playing surfaces of the poor-quality natural turf pitches. The delivery of the grass pitch improvements recommended by the Grounds Maintenance Association through the Football Foundation's PitchPower pitch assessment reports would go a long way to improving the playing capacity at the sites assessed. In most cases, this will necessitate increased revenue investment in enhanced pitch maintenance regimes supported by grant funding from the Football Foundation's Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund. The ancillary facilities across the city are generally poor quality with several sites needing improvement. The facilities are closed at Patcham Place Recreation Ground and Waterhall Sports Ground due to vandalism and damage to the facilities and the changing rooms at Easthill Park are also closed. There was ongoing works at the ancillary facilities at Hill Park during site visits, with new facilities being developed at Hill Park as part of Saltdean FC’s ongoing improvements. There is a lack of basic changing or toilet facilities at Hollingbury Park (Brentwood Road) and Southwick Hill Recreation Ground and no changing facilities at Rottingdean Recreation Ground and Wild Park. The facilities at many sites are rated poor and require modernisation to accommodate women and girls and provide disability access.

What are the main characteristics of the future supply and demand for provision?

Future demand for football facilities will put increasing pressure on the existing supply. Application of Sport England's Playing Pitch Calculator (PPC) tool indicates there will be a requirement to provide 7 additional natural turf pitches plus an additional 13.5 hours of weekly training slots on a 3G artificial pitch by 2041, assuming current levels of participation per capita and the forecasted population growth. The growth plans of the football clubs based in Brighton & Hove will also place further pressure on pitch supply. 19 clubs and two leagues responded to the survey indicating they have aspirations to increase the number of teams they run over the coming seasons, provided they have sufficient volunteers and pitches for matches and training can be secured. This combined with the previous level of growth across the city of 3.15% per year means it is likely provision will increase above the usual rate. When adjusting for this increase in demand in youth football, the PPC indicates a need for 11 additional natural turf pitches as well as 20 additional hours for training on a 3G pitch, equivalent to half a pitch.

Is there enough accessible and secured community use provision to meet future demand?

No - Over the period of the strategy to 2041, to address forecast population growth, unmet and latent demand identified by clubs and to continue to deliver on the FA's strategy to transfer more affiliated competitive football to 3G surfaces, further secured provision of 3G AGP pitches is needed.

Investment in at least 1 additional full sized FA registered 3G AGP is needed to cater for current demand plus an additional 0. 5 full sized pitch equivalent for future population growth and demand, resulting in a need for a minimum of an additional 1.5 3G AGP’s in the area. There are already proposals to deliver 2 new full sized pitches at Saltdean FC (East), Toad Hole Valley (Central) and a small pitch (60x40m) at Moulsecoomb Community Leisure Centre (East), which would meet this demand. The council should also engage with the stakeholders managing and operating 3G pitches which are in a poor condition to encourage and support them in resurfacing their facilities.

Additional natural turf pitches are needed for adult 11v11, youth 11v11 and Youth 9v9 for match play by 2041 in light of the scale of forecast population growth and demand. Given the lack of space within the area to provide further grass pitches the Council should look to improve the quality of pitches in the area to provide additional capacity, consider reconfiguring spare 7v7, 5v5 pitches to accommodate larger pitch sizes, investigate options to increase community use on education sites in the area or consider the development of additional 3G AGP’s to cater for this shortfall.