Extra funding for eco-friendly features in pavilion

Environmental features at a new football pavilion have been again added to plans following a funding boost

More than £130,000 in additional funding has been allocated to a new football pavilion in Kent to reinstate environmentally friendly features.

Sevenoaks Town Council says it will take money from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds to install an air source heat pump, living green wall and solar panels to the new pavilion at Greatness Recreation Ground, which is in the process of being developed.

The extra features will be added back to the plans after initially being omitted over cost increases to the project.

Claire Shea, leader of the council, said it wanted the building to be "set up for success and lead the way on sustainable design".

A council spokesperson said the features would reduce the pavilion's carbon footprint and improve its energy efficiency.

In June, the council and Sevenoaks Town Football Club won over £750,000 in grant funding from the government's Football Foundation, the Football Association (FA) and the Premier League.

Total funding for the project, including separate CIL funding, is now at nearly £2m.

Speaking about the grant funding, Paul Lansdale, chairman of the football club, said: "Years of hard work has paid off with the news of this funding for the building of our long-awaited clubhouse.

"The Football Foundation has agreed to provide a significantly larger figure than we expected.

"It is very exciting news and means we can now focus on a start date to begin the work before the end of the year."