Hailsham Town Council Agrees Funding to Revamp Local Football Facilities

Hailsham Town Council is delighted to announce that it has allocated £70,000 in match-funding from its Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds towards the redevelopment of Hailsham Town Football Club’s community facilities at the Western Road Recreation Ground.

The old clubhouse has been demolished and will be replaced with new changing rooms and spectator toilets, the latter of which will also be open to users of the recreation ground when not required by the club. The development will see new changing rooms and two referee changing rooms, along with male, female and disabled toilets for spectators, which will be utilised by the recreation ground users.

The new facilities will meet all current (and anticipated future) Football Association ground grading requirements.

As a major boost towards Hailsham Town FC’s plans to redevelop its clubhouse facilities, both for the football club and the local community, the provision of CIL funding is the culmination of a thorough vetting process by the Town Council. Hailsham Town FC has received high praise from town councillors for its clubhouse redevelopment plans, which provide considerable public benefit, represent good value for money and demonstrate appropriate use of the Town Council’s CIL funds.

Hailsham Town Football Club, which currently runs a senior and U23 team in the Premier Sports Southern Combination Football League, has recently benefited from funding of £15,000 by the Town Council towards a replacement fence following an arson attack at the recreation ground last November. An estimated £35,000 of damage was caused to fencing, seats, trees and equipment behind the grandstand.

“The £70,000 funding from the Town Council’s CIL reserves is excellent news and provides a real step forward in Hailsham Town Football Club’s aim to redevelop its changing rooms,” said Town Mayor Cllr Paul Holbrook. “The upgraded facility will benefit the entire football community in Hailsham with the provision of extra changing facilities and spectator toilets to help support all football in the local area. It will also bring economic and social benefits to our wider local community.”

“Upgrades to the clubhouse changing rooms and ground have been a long-term ambition of not only Hailsham Town FC, but for the Town Council. We have been considering project options since 2021 and have included it in our own strategic plan.”

Cllr Holbrook added: “Hundreds of football fans are set to benefit from this fresh investment into local football facilities and the new clubhouse changing rooms will be a welcoming place where families can come to enjoy football together. This is great news for the local community!”

Club Secretary Dominique Corbett commented: “Hailsham Town FC and Hailsham Town Youth would like to thank the Town Council for their continued support with both the CIL money grants towards the new changing rooms and funding to replace the fencing.”

“The new facilities will bring us in line with future ambitions for the club, which include being promoted out of Division 2 back to senior football, and to be the local pathway for youth football to county league and beyond.”

“The new changing rooms will ensure we can continue to support local football for all future generations of our town.”