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Clee fields set for football ‘hub’ with pitch updates

Clee Fields set for football ‘hub’ with pitch updates

North East Lincolnshire Council have approved plans to upgrade the playing surface of pitches at Clee Fields, transforming them into artificial grass pitches instead of the vulnerable turf it currently has.

In a move to stop surface flooding which ruins the turf and makes it unplayable for the community, two artificial grass playing pitches will be installed – one exclusively for football and the other also usable for rugby.

The plans are part of a three-phase scheme to upgrade sporting facilities in Grimsby.

Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Housing and Tourism, Cllr Callum Procter, said:

“These plans will create excellent facilities at Clee Fields and we want to give people the best sporting opportunities, even if it means a longer wait to realise the overall vision.

“Ensuring that we provide places where our residents can enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits high quality sport, leisure and recreation services offer is vital as we also look at the development of some of our other urban areas for new and good quality homes,” he added.

Once the Clee Fields work has been completed, work will begin on renovations at King George V athletics stadium will take shape as part of a three-phase program.

Plans to redevelop both sites were proposed before the Covid pandemic hit, however they have now been reordered into three phases of work.

The council report outlining this altered strategy calls the updated plans “more ambitious” and says that they “reflect the increased investment needed to bring about major transformation.”

Under the Playing Pitch Strategy, these improvements aim to give all residents the opportunity to play sport and stay healthy.

The plans also add that some urban land will be made available for housing.

Clee Fields as a wider site will see additional improvements too as plans outline a larger and revamped car park, improved fencing and upgrades to the drainage, water and electric systems.

The indoor facilities will also be improved to build four unisex changing rooms, one changing room for officials, a first-aid and physio room as well as a revamped kitchen area.

Both Sport England and the Football Federation have approved the plans.

A planning application for Clee Fields will be submitted by the end of December, with a business case being drawn up for the redevelopment work at King George V Stadium once phase one is complete.

The report has set a target date of December 2022 for the Clee Fields work to be completed.