Start of football season in Leighton Buzzard delayed due to ‘unsafe’ sports pitches

Two successive summers with little or no rainfall has made pre-season work on sports pitches ‘impossible’ and ‘unsafe’ to start the new season, according to a report by Leighton and Linslade Town Council’s grounds and environmental services committee.

The council was also told all parks and open spaces had suffered with work to top dress the pitches necessary once cracks caused by the long dry spell this summer had closed up.

Looking ahead, the committee reported demand for youth football, partly driven by this summer’s World Cup, had led to a 50 per cent increase in football pitch requirements.

And Leighton Town FC had also approached the committee over plans to grow football in the town including a further look at training provision and a possible collaboration with LLTC at Astral Park.

But the report added: “Adult football over the past seven years has declined significantly to the point where we no longer have any local men’s football leagues playing in the town and using its facilities.

“Whilst encouraging, the demand exceeds what the town council can reasonably provide at this moment,” it said.

The council currently provides football pitches at locations including Astral Park A, Astral Park B and Pages Field.

Astral Park Pavilion has four changing rooms, a referee changing room and a disabled changing room, but the facility has not been used for over four years despite the council being required to maintain it with water testing and other annual services.

The report concluded it was clear that the change in climate over the past two years was something it needed to overcome to ensure football provision is ready for the start of each season with safe areas for children to play.

It stated: “The lack of use of half the sports pavilion at Astral Park currently is of real concern for Officers. If we can improve the pitches and encourage the teams back, then hopefully they will use the building again.

“Officers agree with the assessment of Beds FA and the GMA that we must seek grant funding as a joint application to improve the soil quality from below ground first before looking at the borehole option.

“We must also consider the use of other parks such at Linslade Memorial Park for football again if the ground is better and if it is unlikely to be used again for cricket ,although the Sports Council suggested the cricket club may wish to come back here in the future.”

It also agreed having the backing of Leighton Town FC in any future development of facilities at Astral Park with a vision of a purpose-built training facility would significantly improve the town’s chances of bigger and better things for football in Leighton Buzzard.

In 2019/2020 Beds FA supported LLTC in applying for funding of up to £60k for pitch improvements. This was never fully utilised and is no longer available under the grant approved at the time.

Together with Beds FA and Local Youth Football Teams, the council endorsed the submission of a joint grant application for pitch maintenance improvements to the Football Foundation.