Council on track to deliver pitch perfect response to sports needs

19/08/26

Work by Mid Suffolk District Council to create a brand new, state of the art 3G community football pitch and mini athletics track was completed last week.

Built in the grounds of Stowmarket High School, the 3G pitch and mini athletics track will be managed by Everyone Active and available for community use outside of school hours through a booking system.

The project was funded by the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation with contributions from Mid Suffolk District Council, as well as S106 developer funds.

The pitch uses a cork infill and forms part of a research project run by the Football Foundation that is looking at the use of a variety of different pitch systems.

Councillor Tim Weller, Mid Suffolk District Council’s cabinet member for environment, culture, and wellbeing, said:

“This was an ambitious proposal from the outset and it is great to see it finally come to fruition.

At the heart of this project, was the need to increase access to sports facilities within Stowmarket to help address a number of health inequalities within the town and the delivery of this pitch and running track, does just that.

By taking part in a pilot scheme, we have also been able to deliver a facility which keeps sustainability and player preference in mind too.

I look forward to seeing these fantastic facilities being used by local clubs and the community for years to come.”

The pitch and track are the latest additions to the council’s investment in sports and wellbeing for Stowmarket. The council is also working to unlock funding for a multi-use games area (MUGA) at the site, having already installed a new trim trail and cricket nets at nearby Chilton Fields, as well as upgrading the grass pitches.

The next major milestone will be the groundbreaking for Chilton Field’s new multi-million sports pavilion, featuring upgraded facilities for use by local clubs, including Stowmarket Rugby Club.

The 3G pitch and running track, which is the first England Athletics NewGen MiniTrack of its kind in the country, have been completed in the meantime, on budget and ahead of schedule and are set to open for community bookings from September via the Everyone Active website and app.

A community open day is also planned for October half term, giving locals the opportunity to chance to check out the new facilities.

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said:

“The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country. 

Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.  We’re delighted that the local community in Suffolk will now be able to enjoy all these benefits thanks to the new facilities at the Stowmarket site.” 

Matt Stebbings, Football Development Manager at Suffolk FA, said:

"It is fantastic to see another 3G pitch completed in Suffolk.

A huge thanks to the project team and the funding partners who enabled this project to be completed. It is a great asset for the local community, Suffolk football and more."

Adam Pickering, Head of School at Stowmarket High School, said:

"We are thrilled with the project and the opportunity that it offers all students at Stowmarket High School. It is fair to say, during the building process, the students have been thoroughly engaged. Such a partnership with the local community can only be a good thing. We look forward to many successful events in the forthcoming years.”

Paul Robson, contract manager for Everyone Active, said:

“These fantastic new facilities will help to improve the health and wellbeing of people from across the local community and we are very proud to be chosen to run them.”

In addition to investing in sports in Stowmarket, the council continues to ensure community facilities are available across the district. There is ongoing investment in both Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre and at Stradbroke Pool & Fitness Centre – which reopened last week following a brief closure for improvement work.

The council has also launched a new Mid Suffolk Sports and Infrastructure Fund offering between £20k and £250k for projects to improve indoor or outdoor sports facilities within Mid Suffolk, but outside Stowmarket. Find out more about the Mid Suffolk Sports and Infrastructure Fund.

Council staff, councillors, Stowmarket High School staff and local football and running clubs