Kempston Rovers Football Club submit plans for drastic changes to home ground including artificial pitch

Kempston Rovers Football Club has submitted a planning application to convert its natural grass stadia into an Artificial Turf 3G pitch with replacement floodlighting, covered standing area, associated fencing and hard standing.

The application said the provision of the new external 3G Artificial Turf Pitch would provide “increased performance and usage” for the benefit of Kempston Rovers.

It added that both the Football Foundation and Bedfordshire FA would support the conversion.

But this is subject to the project meeting FA design guidance and a further consultation with both organisations.

The Local Football Facilities Plan for Bedfordshire, a 10-year priority plan for facility investment into local football, had identified the need for a 11v11 3G pitch at the Club.

The new flood lighting system (with four 22m high masts) is to satisfy the planned usage, and would be used after dusk and up to the approved curfew hour.

The hours of use are to be determined as part of the planning application process.

The proposed hours are Monday-Friday 8am to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 10pm.

The application said these hours will maximise football developmental outcomes both during the day, during evenings and at weekends via “pre-arranged and structured community” access.

Pre-application advice said a FIFA Quality pitch would be sufficient for this conversion, adding that this also allows for maximum use by local community teams.

The advice also said that it is “unlikely” that the proposal would impinge on neighbour amenity.

More information can be found on the council’s planning portal, reference 22/02633/FUL.