New 3G pitch at County FA headquarters will boost Sussex

The SCFA received permission from the Adur District Council to convert the existing grass pitch at Lancing, to an artificial third generation surface.

The cost of the project, which is hoped to be finished by is estimated to be around £500,000 and will be funded by the Sussex FA.

Floodlight use at the site will be permitted between 9am and 10pm seven days a week.

Chairman of the Sussex County FA, Mathew Major said: “Our priority is the development of the game across the whole of Sussex and in order to do this we need money.

“The new 3G pitch will mean that we can run the facility seven days a week, without the worry of bad weather hampering our plans. The extra revenue generated from the new pitch will significantly help us to achieve our goals.”

Ken Benham, chief executive of the Sussex County FA, said: “We are delighted that our planning application has been approved, the change of surface to 3G will be of great benefit to the local community.

“The £500,000 project is being funded by the Sussex County FA, and we plan to get to work right away in a hope that the new surface will be ready for late August / early September.”

Adur District Councillors approved the Sussex County FA’s application at a planning committee meeting on Monday evening.

Councillor, Pat Beresford commented: “I think this is a perfectly reasonable application by the Sussex County FA. It needs to do it, it needs to modernise and this is a way of modernising.”

Lancing Football Club will continue to use Culver Road as their home, and discussions are underway with Brighton & Hove Albion, regarding their women’s team continuing to use the facility for their home fixtures.

Sussex County FA Representative Squad fixtures will be unaffected by the change and will still play their home ties at the Headquarters. All County Cup finals with the exception of the Parafix Sussex Senior Challenge Cup will also continue to be held there.