Plans in for synthetic surface at Oakfield to replace grass pitch

Wednesday 28 July 2021

The grass pitch at Oakfield Sports Centre will be replaced by a synthetic surface, if the Planning Department agrees.

The application is one of the initial moves to implement the Government’s ‘Inspiring Active Places Strategy’, which was announced in March and combines its desire to improve facilities around the Island with replacing Fort Regent as centre for sport.

Under the strategy, changes at the Wellington Road-based Oakfield Centre include conversion of the four-court sports hall to a permanent gymnastics facility and conversion of the four outdoor netball courts to 12 covered badminton courts, as well as the new ‘3G’ pitch.

It is also set to be the home of netball in Jersey.

The application says: “The scheme grew out of the Inspiring Active Places strategy which is an extensive development of new and upgraded existing sport facilities across Jersey with the aim of increasing sport participation and achievement at all levels for islanders.

“This proposal is for an upgrade to the existing grass football pitch at Oakfield Sport Centre. The existing grass pitch is a junior 11-a-side pitch, with perimeter fencing. 

“The pitch will be replaced by a 3G all-weather synthetic pitch, floodlighting, a hard-standing viewing area and new perimeter fencing where required.”

Pictured: If approved, the current junior-sized pitch will turn from grass to man-made.

If approved, the pitch will be surrounded by six 12m-high floodlights and a 3m-high fence, although the existing fence to the south and west of the pitch will be incorporated into the design.

The new layout will use the footprint of the existing grass pitch and provides a 11-a-side layout corresponding closely to FA Juniors level, as well as being divided into three five-a-side pitches.

The money to pay for the Oakfield 3G pitch will come out of allocated capital funding, although the exact cost will only be finalised once a contractor has been appointed.

The Infrastructure, Housing and Environment Department, which is overseeing the upgrading of sports facilities, also made a successful bid for £3,148,030 of borrowed Fiscal Stimulus funding for Oakfield, however this money has been earmarked for improvements to the sports centre itself. 

“The Fiscal Stimulus Funding is being used to make improvements to the building at Oakfield, enabling us to build new health and sporting facilities for a variety of different sports, including some of those currently housed at Fort Regent,” a spokesperson said.