New 3G football pitch for Eastbourne AFC at the Oval within Princes Park approved

On Monday (July 17), Eastbourne Borough Council’s planning committee approved proposals to replace an existing grass football pitch at The Oval in Channel View Road with a new 3G synthetic turf.

The proposals, put forward by Eastbourne United A.F.C., also include plans for increased parking and new landscaping at the site, which sits within Princes Park.

According to the club, the development is intended to offer a facility where local teams can train and play all-year round. The club says such facilities are in short supply and (in its application) says there are around 18 teams looking to use the new pitch once development is completed.

While recommended for approval the application had seen objections raised by a number of local residents, who had concerns about increased activity at the site.

Some of these concerns were voiced by ward councillor Christina Ewbank (Lib Dem), who said: “There is anti-social behaviour even now with just three teams playing a week. We don’t think it is Eastbourne United, we think it is more likely to be the opposing teams.

“They sit on garden walls, they smoke cigarettes and flick them into the gardens. They’ve been peeing in the gardens of Channel View Road. They even, on one occasion redistributed the dog poo from one of our dog poo containers. There has been damage to cars in the past and there is sometimes loud karaoke music coming from the club.

“This is happening now, so what is going to happen when there are 18 teams using the club, possibly six teams at once, from nine in the morning to nine at night.

“This is going to increase parking, it is going to increase noise, it is going to increase antisocial behaviour, it is definitely going to increase pollution in terms of traffic, plastic and light pollution.”

These concerns were not shared by the committee, however, with councillors agreeing to grant planning permission.

The decision has been welcomed by the club. In a statement released after the meeting, a spokesman for the club said: “On Monday night, Eastbourne Borough Council approved our application to install a 3G pitch at the Oval. It’s a small sentence, but it brings about massive change at the club, as we secure our future and are able to offer a top notch surface not only to our teams, but also to the community to hire.

“It’s been a lot of very hard work, spearheaded by newly elected EUAFC chair Matt Thompson. Following the EGM at which the members decided to approve the formation of the separate football committee to run United as a Community Interest Club, it’s been non stop to get the wheels in motion.

“Regulars at the ground will already have seen the work started by the new committee, even before it was formed, as perimeter fences got repaired and painted, rubbish cleared by the lorry load and pitch works improved the playing area. The changing rooms were painted and refurbished and plans drawn up to make the club fit for promotion.

“The truth is of course that the hard work is only just starting — the season is a few weeks away and we will need to hit the ground running.”