King's Lynn councillors agree £250k for 3G football pitch

People in King's Lynn could soon be using an artificial football pitch

A council has approved a grant to develop a 3G artificial football pitch.

The Borough Council of King's Lynn and West Norfolk has agreed to grant £250,000 for the additional pitch and a coaching academy project, at Lynnsport, off River Lane, in King's Lynn.

If planning permission was granted, the money would come from fees collected by the council from developers.

Some councillors expressed concerns about "the privatisation of open space".

The grant, which is 18% of the total cost, will come from the Community Infrastructure Levy, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The Football Foundation has offered to pick up the remaining 82%, because the site would be located in a deprived area.

'Privatisation of public space'

Independent councillor, Jo Rust, said she was "absolutely not against" the facilities as they would be "a great benefit to many people".

"However, what I am against is the removal of free green space, which is currently accessible to the whole community and which was so hugely beneficial during lockdown and the pandemic," she said.

Green councillor Michael de Whalley said: "It is difficult to accept the argument that replacing a freely accessible, high-quality recreation space with an enclosed facility, requiring not-inconsiderable hire fees, in an area of significant deprivation, constitutes an act of levelling up. 

"We need to ask ourselves whether this council's priority is to provide public services or make money.

"In this case, it is more than appropriate to describe this proposal as the privatisation of public space."

The Cabinet meeting approved the grant, and Conservative council leader Stuart Dark said the additional pitch would help address a "dire need" for such facilities in the borough, and that the site's existing 3G pitch sees a usage of 92% on weekday evenings.

He added that a new pitch would help the council to support women, girls, people with disabilities and others in enjoying the game.