Plans for £3m Brentwood 'football hub' approved

A football hub made up of six pitches which councillors have agreed to spend nearly £3m on is due to open at the end of 2024.

A business plan for the hub, which is set to be built in the Brentwood Centre, was agreed by Brentwood Borough Council last night (December 19).

The hub, set to be used by over 100 local teams including Brentwood Town FC, would include three third generation artificial grass pitches and four grass pitches.

Other new facilities include toilets, changing room and kitchens.

Kim Anderson, the council’s partnership, leisure and funding manager, told the meeting: “Subject to all other milestones being achieved, the football hub is likely to be operational in quarter four 2024.”

Everyone active, which is currently operating the Brentwood Centre until 2025, is set to run the hub, according to a council report.

The Community, Environment and Enforcement Committee agreed its preferred options for building sizes and the operating model for the football hub at the meeting.

It also agreed to allocate £2.8m funding to support its development. The council had previously approved the figure as part of a budget setting process, but later agree the money in 2020 that the money should not be spent until a full business case had been drawn up.

According to a council report, there are five main clubs in Brentwood, which have a total of 157 teams, within a three-mile radius of the Brentwood Centre.

Of these teams there are 61 mini soccer teams, 80 youth teams, 14 adult teams and 2 disability teams. The report says this demonstrates local demand for the new facilities.

Brentwood Town Football Club’s first team are already using the site, while its reserves are using the club’s stadia pitch.

The hub will be based in the town former Chelsea and England football player Frank Lampard went to school – Brentwood School – between 1985 and 1995.