Cosham Football Hub: Final works being carried out ahead of opening of the new football hub

With the main construction work now complete, the team are now working on the final preparation at the site which will allow the site to be used. It is expected the site will be officially open and ready for use next month (February).

Portsmouth City Council has already agreed that Hampshire FA will run the King George V playing fields centre until 2039, saying it would help boost uptake in the city with the new all-weather pitches and better facilities, including the pavilion, being a huge boost for the game.

The football hub will include the replacement of the pavilion with new changing rooms, toilets and a cafe as well as four nine-a-side, six seven-a-side and 12 five-a-side pitches along with the two larger pitches.

Portsmouth City Council, in partnership with the Football Foundation, has been developing the new football complex since February last year. It was proposed after Portsmouth was identified as having a shortage of artificial grass pitches (AGP). The new provision should support the development of youth and adult football.

However the construction of the new football hub has not been without controversy, firstly because its construction has displaced the popular fireworks event which took place on the playing fields for years because there is now no longer the room for it to be held there. This resulted in the council deciding to hold two smaller fireworks events in the city last year, though the one in the north of the city at Alexandra Park was pulled at the last-minute as a result of poor weather.