Twelve new all-weather pitches will open across six south London boroughs by next autumn, after a £4.2 million funding package was approved on Thursday evening.
The investment will convert ageing grass pitches that are regularly lost to waterlogging each winter. Local clubs say as many as one in three fixtures are postponed between November and February.
What is being built
The plan includes eight full-size 3G football and rugby-compatible pitches and four smaller multi-use courts for netball, five-a-side and basketball. All sites will have floodlighting, and booking will be handled through a single borough-wide app.
Councillor Priya Venkataraman, who led the bid, said the money would “give every child within a short bus ride somewhere warm, dry and safe to play”.
“We cancelled eleven youth matches last winter. These pitches mean the kids play, and that matters more than any trophy.”Gareth Imrie, chair of Peckham Juniors FC
Residents’ groups have broadly welcomed the plan, though some neighbours have raised concerns about evening noise. The council says consultation events will run through the spring.
