Multi-million pound sports hub planned near Hailsham

On Wednesday (September 7), Wealden District Council cabinet members are set to make a decision on the next stage of plans to build a community sports hub on part of the Knights Farm site in Lower Dicker.

If given the go ahead, the council would move ahead with detailed designs in hopes of submitting a full planning application early next year.

While the plans are currently at a relatively early stage, council papers show the new facility would be expected to include changing facilities built to a Football Association (FA) standard together with a number of outdoor football, tennis and netball pitches.

There is also the potential for a skate park, BMX track, children’s play area, outdoor gym equipment and a community cafe building to be included in the final design. This will likely be subject to the council securing sufficient funding, however.

The council has already set aside £8m for the project in its Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). Due to inflation, however, the final cost of the project is now expected to be between £12 to £15m.

As a result, the council is looking into finding outside funding from the Football Foundation and is considering additional borrowing to make up the shortfall. If successful in its funding application, the council could receive up to £4m from the Football Foundation.

If full funding cannot be found then the scheme may be reduced in scale or brought forward in separate phases, council papers say.