Sheffield park’s MUGA to be upgraded to Play Zone with fencing and floodlights
Plans have been approved by the council
Ecclesfield Park’s multi-use games area (MUGA) on The Common is set for a major upgrade, transforming it into a new Play Zone complete with perimeter fencing and floodlighting.
The development follows a planning application submitted by Sports Lab on behalf of Sheffield City Council. According to planning documents, the current MUGA—installed in the mid-1990s—will be replaced with “a new 2G sand-dressed synthetic turf surface Play Zone consisting of the playing surface surrounded by perimeter fencing enhanced by a floodlight system.”
Designed for football and a range of other sports, the upgraded Play Zone aims to offer a more accessible and higher-quality facility for the local community.
“The proposed PlayZone will facilitate enhanced use for the local community and provide a high-quality facility meeting the unique and enticing design features from the PlayZone scheme,” the report stated.
“It will offer increased opportunities for sport to be played during times of the year when inclement weather would deem the surrounding surface unplayable or dangerous and improving on the current playing surface of the existing MUGA.”
Once completed, the facility will be available for use in the evenings—up to 10pm—and on weekends, with floodlighting enabling year-round play.
The design includes a 3-metre high twin rebound ball stop fence, rising to 4 metres in the in-goal recess area. The floodlighting system will feature four low-level columns, each standing 6 metres tall and equipped with LED fixtures.
Access to the new Play Zone will be via Mill Road, through an access road leading to Ecclesfield Park Bowling Club.
The project is part of the national Play Zone programme, which the report describes as a Football Foundation initiative “aimed at tackling inequalities in physical activity and access to facilities by funding community-led spaces.”
Only one objection was received during the planning process, with the resident raising concerns over potential impacts on residential amenity, the environment, traffic, and the character of the area. Despite this, planning officers approved the application.