Saltburn PlayZone, Saltburn Athletic Football Club, Teesside

This is a project for the delivery of a Football Foundation PlayZone facility for use by Saltburn Athletic FC, the community, and visitors to this rural seaside town.

The PlayZone project is a national scheme run by the Football Foundation in partnership with local authorities. The Foundation provide 75% cost of the project, with the local authority identifying the location and acting as a project manager until the completion of construction. Upon completion the facility would be given a minimum 10-year lease and management will be handed to Saltburn Athletic Football Club.

The proposed PlayZone would bring much needed access to sport and recreation for the local community, much of which is comprised of lower socio-economic groups situated in small villages without easy access to sporting facilities. The PlayZone is designed to be multi-use, offering a range of sports (with wheelchair variations) including multiple football variations (Premier League Kicks, FA Weetabix Wildcats, and walking football), basketball, rugby, netball, hockey, and cricket.

The facility will be open to all members of the community, of all ages. Bookings will take place via an app and keypad entry system, allowing anyone to easily make a reservation and use the facility. This easy access to high-quality sporting facilities will provide much needed recreation opportunities for local young people, as well as providing opportunities for groups such as the elderly and disabled to partake in sport in a safe, suitable, and well maintained environment.