Plans to create a new football centre in Cosham move a step forward

Despite fears the scheme would reduce public access, members of the Portsmouth City Council planning committee agreed to grant planning permission.

Its chairman, Councillor Lee Hunt, said the proposals were ‘good for sports and recreation in the north of the city.’

‘This is a massive investment into Cosham and south Paulsgrove,’ he said. ‘These are the sorts of facilities young people need: there's employment opportunity, leisure opportunity and income opportunity.’

The application also included provision of a new cafe in the pavilion building and the extension of the playing fields’ existing car park to more than 100 spaces.

The proposals were drawn up by the city council in conjunction with the Football Association, Football Foundation and football clubs as part of a national effort to improve grassroots provision.

A 2020 plan identified a need for ‘at least’ five new artificial pitches in the city with the King George V scheme a 'key' part of this.

The original pavilion was left unusable by an arson attack in 2017.

However, Cllr Matt Atkins, who represents the Cosham ward, said there were ‘legitimate’ concerns that the development would make the playing fields less accessible.

‘This is effectively an application to turn the site into an FA centre of excellence,’ he said. ‘It will become more expensive [to use], it will become more for the exclusive use of people who take their football very seriously.

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‘This is potentially putting the good of youth football above the good of Cosham residents.’

Councillor George Madgwick, the chairman of Paulsgrove FC who has been involved in the project, said charges would be introduced for use of the all-weather pitches and that it was expected the centre would have ‘partner’ youth clubs who get exclusive use of the facilities at certain times.

The contract for the construction of the new pavilion has already been put out for tender.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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