Purpose

To inform Councillors of the progress Officers
have made on the project for a new proposed 3G ATP at OLSIO
including final designs, progress of the project and overall
capital costs.
 
To provide confidence to the Cabinet and wider
Council that due diligence has been conducted on the final designs
and costs with support of expert consultants.
 
To utilise the final capital costs outlined
within this report to help inform budget setting and approval of
the wider project delivery of the new proposed 3G ATP at OLSIO.
 
To provide an update on stakeholder engagement
and progress to date across the project and to illustrate the broad
support Officers have gained from partners for the proposed 3G ATP
at OLSIO.
 
To gain full approval from Cabinet to allow
this project to proceed.
 

Decision

The Cabinet has
 
(a) 
approved the project of a new 3G ATP to be constructed at
OLSIO;
 
(b) 
noted that, subject to the project securing all necessary consents
(including full planning application approval); funding secured
through the budget process; and project costs being within budget;
the intention is for works to commence on-site in late 2026 with an
anticipated opening in early 2027;
 
(c) 
delegated to the Head of Leisure, Health & Environment in
consultation with the Corporate Director (Place) & Corporate
Director (Finance and Resources) to proceed with and secure any
necessary consents to allow the development to move forward;
 
(d) 
noted that HDC has signed up to the FF Framework Alliance Contract
(FFFAC) which covers services such as management consultancy,
independent testing and the supply/installation of 3G ATP’s
with HDC becoming an “Additional Client”;
 
(e) 
delegated to the Head of Leisure, Health & Environment in
consultation with the Corporate Director (Place) & Corporate
Director (Finance and Resources) to proceed with the FFFAC in
partnership with the FF to ensure successful completion of the
project;
 
(f) 
agreed the proposed budget envelope of £1.4 million for the
project and notes the composition of this total, which is made up
of contributions from multiple funding sources such as £300k
from Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and £300k from
HDC;
 
(g) 
noted and approved that the Head of Leisure, Health &
Environment will lead on and complete negotiations with the FF with
the intention to secure up to £800k of capital funding
towards a new 3G ATP; and
 
(h) 
delegated to the Head of Leisure, Health & Environment to
facilitate, and in consultation with the Corporate Director (Place)
& Corporate Director (Finance and Resources) complete all
relevant land and legal requirements to facilitate this project and
enable its delivery.
 

Reasons for the decision

The proposal addresses a documented shortfall
of full-size 3G artificial turf pitch provision in the District, particularly in and around St Ives, and
responds to evidenced peak-time capacity constraints.
 
The proposal directly delivers the priorities
of the Council’s PPOSS by increasing all-weather football
capacity, addressing identified shortfalls in provision, and
supporting additional secured community use.
 
The proposal aligns with and helps implement
the Local Football Facility Plan by providing the recommended
investment in additional 3G capacity, enabling more training and
match activity, supporting club development pathways, and meeting
current and future demand for football facilities.
 
The proposal is supported by local clubs and
stakeholders, who have identified unmet demand, constraints on
existing provision, and a desire to secure regular block bookings
and partnership
 
The project supports the wider commercial
sustainability of One Leisure by increasing all-weather capacity,
improving utilisation, and enabling broader access to high-quality
facilities for residents.
 
The proposal future-proofs an important
Council asset and helps ensure the Outdoor Centre remains fit for
purpose as a multi-sport hub serving current and future
generations.
 
The additional 3G capacity will enable more
consistent delivery of community sport and physical activity,
reducing cancellations and displacement onto less suitable
surfaces, and helping to protect existing grass pitch quality.
 
The proposal strengthens inclusive access by
creating additional capacity for women and girls’ football,
disability and pan-disability provision, and recreational formats
(e.g., walking and wellbeing football), including at off-peak
times.
 
The project supports wider health and
wellbeing outcomes by enabling more people to be physically active
more often, aligning with the Corporate Plan priority to improve
quality of life and maximise physical activity across partners.