Stoke-on-trent sport and physical activity strategy 2009-2016

Reinforced Grass52. An alternative to synthetic turf pitches that has recently been developed arereinforced grass pitches which combine nature and technology. Artificial grassfibres are injected into a natural grass pitch. As the roots of the natural grassintertwine with the artificial grass fibres a sturdy pitch construction developswhich maintains optimum permeability. Reinforced grass pitches can sustainup to 60% increased usage compared to a purely grass pitch (i.e. about threematches per week instead of two). Installation costs are similar to a syntheticturf pitch, but they do not have the same 10 year life expectancy.53. The high cost and relatively low gain in term of additional capacity on suchreinforced grass pitches means that they are unlikely to be a viable option forcommunity football. This option has not therefore been further explored withinthe Strategy.Balance in supply and demand across <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent as a whole54. Taking into account only the secure pitch sites, there is currently an oversupplyof about 10 senior pitches, even providing for training, pitchmaintenance works etc., in addition to match needs. It is possible that someof the ‘senior’ pitches may also be used by the older junior teams, but thelevel of this use is unclear. Of the senior pitch sites, 13 are single pitch siteswith no changing facilities and a number of these are also of poor quality,such as the one at Grange Park Reclamation.55. The opposite is true for the junior size pitches. There is a requirement acrossthe authority for 48 junior pitches, but only 23 are currently available.However, the deficit in junior provision across the City may be slightly reducedbecause some of the senior pitches are also being used by junior teams(however the figure for this is uncertain). Ideally the u16s should be playingon junior pitches, and therefore this shouldbe planned into the strategy.56. There is a significant deficit in the number of mini pitches. There is demandfor 30 pitches but only 19 are currently available with secure community use.57. The current position and forecast up to 2016 in Figure 9 takes into accountboth the changes in the population and the anticipated growth in the game at1% per annum. The junior and mini game takes its baseline from the currentrates of participation, however if participation was to increase to reflect rateselsewhere, further pitch space would be required.Nortoft Partnerships Ltd <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent Page | 289Sport & Physical Activity Strategy 2009-2016October 2009