Programme information

The programme is inviting applications for projects that help communities maximise the sporting benefits of playing field land. The programme will create, improve and protect playing fields by:

• Improving the condition of pitches
• Creating playing field land (not less than 0.2 hectares)
• Bringing disused playing fields back into use
• Offering support to community and voluntary groups and local authorities to protect[1] playing fields.

How much funding is available and when?

The programme will be organised into five funding rounds with around £2 million being awarded to projects in each round. The dates for rounds are:

• Round 1 closed on 6 July 2011 and we made conditional awards to 48 projects worth £2.1m.
• Round 2 closed on 12 December 2011 and we made conditional awards to 61 projects worth £2.6m.
• Round 3 closed on 09 July 2012 and we made 54 conditional awards worth £2.4m.
• Round 4 will open on 10 December 2012 and close on 18 February 2013
• Round 5 will open on 10 June 2013 and close on 05 August 2013.

How much funding can I apply for?

The PPF programme will provide grants from £10,000 up to a maximum of £50,000. There are budget cost information sheets for pitch improvements appended to this information that will help you assess both the type and costs of works you need.

The Budget Cost sheets also provide information on the initial grounds maintenance costs which will need to be covered in the first year following the improvement works and the ongoing annual maintenance costs required to keep the pitch in good condition.

What can I use the funding for?

Under this programme, we expect to give funding to projects for any of the following categories (or a combination of them):

• Purchase of land for new playing fields and bringing disused playing fields back into use. Where funding is sought to protect an existing playing field this will be limited to supporting the cost of purchasing the land but not legal or other costs connected with the purchase.
• Purchase of playing field land where there is a known and established threat, such as through the expiry of a lease or a development proposal. The purchase of land and playing fields will be under an open space valuation. Wherever possible, opportunities to use brownfield sites will be encouraged, so as long as they are based on open space valuation. The programme will not fund remediation costs for contaminated land.
• Improvements to existing pitches through levelling, drainage, reseeding and realignment. This element of the programme is aimed at existing local authority, community and club pitches where quality is an issue as identified and prioritised in a published Playing Pitch Strategy, adopted Local Development Plan or through a Local Needs Assessment (see FAQs for more details).
• Local Education Authorities and schools can apply to the programme to provide new playing fields, bring into use disused playing fields or improve existing playing fields in order to establish and/or host a community club-school link. In such circumstances, schools must enter into a lease with the club backed by a Community Use Agreement. In addition, adequate changing accommodation must be available on site for the use of community teams.

Playing pitches can be funded for a variety of sports. Details of eligible and ineligible sports can be found in the Eligibility Criteria section. Where two or more sports are played, for example football in winter and cricket in summer, these will be considered under this programme. This programme will support competitive sport and requests for training areas will be a low priority.

How much partnership funding do I need?

The amount of partnership funding required varies according to the type of applicant you are.

• Voluntary and community sector (including town and parish councils) are not required to provide partnership funding, however, we would prefer you to have some partnership funding or value in kind for the project. We recognise that some community and voluntary sector clubs and town/parish councils may not be able to secure that, and in these cases we will not rule out the application.
• Local authorities are required as a minimum to provide matched funding on a £:£ basis
• Education establishments are expected to provide 30% partnership funding towards project costs.

Projects that demonstrate the playing field is at risk of being lost will still be required to make the case for funding.

In these circumstances, they will be able to apply with a lower level of partnership funding at the discretion of Sport England.

¹ Protect by means of executing a legal charge on the site for a minimum of 25 years