New all-weather football pitches open at complex

The small-sided 3G pitches at Withdean Sports Complex have floodlights for year-round use

Four new all-weather football pitches have opened at a sports complex in East Sussex.

The small-sided 3G pitches at Withdean Sports Complex have floodlights for year-round use.

The pitches have been built on an area near the athletics track, formerly an overspill car park.

Brighton & Hove City Council’s culture, heritage, tourism and economic development committee chairman, Alan Robins, said the facilities will be “a game changer”.

The pitches are part of the council’s Sports Facilities Investment Plan, which sets out how sports facilities will be developed in the city over the next 10 years.

The plan will see the complex become one of three major sport and leisure hubs within the city, with a soft play area due to open in the next few weeks and new padel courts following in early summer, the council said.

“It’s great to see Withdean developing as a major sporting hub and enhancing our growing reputation as a major sporting city,” Mr Robins added.

Funding has came from section 106 developer contributions, meaning grants can be sought from developers towards the costs of providing community and social infrastructure.

Withdean Sports Complex is operated by Freedom Leisure. Its chief executive Ivan Horsfall Turner said the company was committed to “improving lives through leisure”.

“We are sure that the additional facilities coming on stream at Withdean over the coming weeks and months will make a huge difference to the people of Brighton and Hove,” he said.

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