Eastleigh Parklife Football Hub gets go ahead

Eastleigh Parklife FootballHub gets go ahead

Local footballers of all ages and abilities are set to benefit from the construction of a new £8 million state-of-the art football hub that is underway at Monks Brook playing fields, Eastleigh.

The Council has joined forces with the Football Association (FA) to develop an FA Parklife Football Hub on Stoneham Lane. Thanks to significant grant funding from the Football Foundation, Sport England and the Premier League, together with funding from the Council, the new facility is set to become one of the biggest football hubs in the country, providing high quality facilities for local clubs and residents to enjoy.

The new hub, which will be called ‘Stoneham Lane’ will consist of three fullsize, floodlit 3G artificial grass pitches, well maintained junior and senior grass pitches, together with an eight-changing room pavilion, clubroom and café.

The facility will become the new home of the Eastleigh & District Mini Soccer

League (EDMSL), and will provide over 130 local teams in the under-7 and under-10 age groups the opportunity to play on these pitches every week, without being thwarted by the English weather. Paul Taylor, Chairman of the EDMSL said: “This will be a fantastic facility for the EDMSL and I am sure that local children will love playing there. We have a lot of cancellations due to inclement weather and poor pitches and to now be able to play every week on 3G pitches will be great.”

The hub will also be the new home of thriving local club, AFC Stoneham, who have over 25 teams and whose men’s First XI play in the Wessex League. Chairman, Mark Stupple, said: “We are excited to move our whole club of 500

plus players and coaches into our new home where all of our teams will train and play matches.

The move to an outstanding new facility will allow our club to grow and develop further, ensuring that we fulfil our aspirations, both as a grassroots community club and Wessex League team.”

Council Leader, Cllr Keith House, said: “We are pleased that construction of this fantastic new project is under way. It will provide the opportunity for children and adults of all ages and abilities to play football, become more active and enjoy high quality facilities. Following on from Places Leisure Eastleigh, this is another great example of our commitment to providing excellent community sporting facilities for local people to enjoy.”

The Hub will be run by the Hampshire FA and is planned to open in 2019.