Bid to raise funds for sports pitches

SARAH BREALEY
11 July 2009 17:00



A hockey club left homeless when a popular sports club closed could have a new base in Norwich, thanks to a £1m plan to put two full-size synthetic pitches on a high school playing field.

Norwich Dragons Hockey Club, Town Close House School and The Hewett School have joined forces to develop the plan for the pitches on a corner of The Hewett School's field at the junction of Hall Road and the inner ring road.

The organisations have already raised £300,000 of the £500,000 needed for the first pitch, and are looking to put a planning application in by the end of the year.

If successful, it would see Norwich Dragons returning to the city from 2010/11, having spent this season playing at Loddon. The two schools and other hockey clubs would also be able to use the pitches.

The club was formed last year from Norwich Union women's and men's hockey clubs, which were left homeless when Norwich Union authorised the sale of its Pinebanks sports complex on Harvey Lane.

However, the move could cause concern among local residents, some of whom are opposed to plans to open a privately-owned all-weather five-a-side football complex, including a licensed bar, on the same site.

The Hewett School is planning to lease several acres to Goals Soccer, which would build and maintain the facilities in exchange for allowing the school to use them during the day.

The plan for two synthetic hockey pitches is linked to the football application, with the hockey club having been given permission to use the football clubhouse as its base.

A statement to announce the hockey plan said further private and public sector funding was being sought to pay for the two pitches.

Adrian Fennell, who is co-ordinating the bid, said: “This is a great opportunity for local businesses to contribute towards an exceptional new sporting facility in the heart of Norwich, which will be available to all members of the community through membership of the Norwich Dragons.

“There is a chronic shortage of hockey facilities in the city and this gives Norwich the opportunity to enhance its sporting facilities in the run-up to the Olympics.”

Richard Alexander, a Great Britain hockey international, Olympian and former Town House Close School pupil, said: “I am delighted that Norwich will be getting such an important and much-needed facility that will encourage the development of hockey.”

Hockey club president Mike Hardy said: “The lack of suitable pitches in Norwich became very apparent when Pinebanks closed and we started looking for a venue to play our home fixtures.

“The demand for this new facility is quite clear, with advance bookings taking the majority of the availability of the first pitch.”

Anyone interested in helping with the funding can call Mr Fennell on 07880 975250 or email info@centralnorwichhc.co.uk.

Are you fighting plans in your community? Contact Steve Downes on 01603 772495 or email steve.downes@archant.co.uk

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