Ground breaking ceremony at Wealden Community Sports Hub

Work on the new Wealden Community Sports Hub has been marked with a ground-breaking ceremony.

The new Community Sports Hub is located on the outskirts of Hailsham and has received a grant of £3.5million from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

Construction on the new Hub – by Sunninghill Contractors – is expected to be completed in 2026.

The Hub will provide new facilities in the district and offer high-quality sports and community facilities which can be used all year-round.

The site will be operated on a not-for-profit basis by the charity, Leisure United and managed by The National Football Trust. Leisure United currently operates 18 sites across the country. It will be a new partnership arrangement involving the council and any surplus income generated from the facility will be reinvested into local grassroots sports.

The state-of-the art Hub will consist of two floodlit full size 3G pitches, four dual use floodlit netball/tennis courts and two padel tennis courts plus other community facilities such as a café and meeting space, skate park, a children’s play area and a perimeter pathway around the site - that will provide opportunities for all residents to participate in sports, health and wellbeing, and leisure activities.

Throughout the process, the council has engaged with a range of partners including sport’s governing bodies, local sports clubs and a public consultation event was held to help shape and inform the facilities at the site.

Councillor Kelvin Williams, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat) and lead councillor for Public Health and Asset Management said, “It was an absolute pleasure to be at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Sports Hub, which will be a fantastic asset for all Wealden residents. The new sports hub shows the new Alliance council is delivering on its adopted council strategy to ensure we are making a real difference to the wellbeing of all our residents.”

Robert Sullivan, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said, “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.

“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.

“We’re delighted that works are now underway to deliver the new Wealden Community Sports Hub and we’re excited to see the new facilities in action.”

Pictured, left to right, WDC director Kristina Shaw-Hamilton; Councillor Kelvin Williams, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat); Councillor James Patridge, Alliance for Wealden (Liberal Democrat); WDC chief executive Trevor Scott; Councillor Rachel Milward, Alliance for Wealden (Green); and Oliver Bowles from Sunninghill Contractors.