Brightlingsea could have a new all-weather sports area – but only if a bid by Tendring District Council (TDC) for funding is successful.
The town’s Lower Park Road playing field – commonly known as the Scout Ground – is the proposed location for one of five Playzones the council hopes to provide in the district.
According to TDC: “Playzones are multi-use games areas found in public spaces allowing residents of all ages to use the space for a variety of sports and games”.
The council says the Playzones would be floodlit and feature high-quality surfaces suitable for various sports and activities all year round. Most of the funding would come from the Football Foundation, with some cash provided by TDC.
If the project goes ahead – subject to funding and planning permissions – the aim is to have the Playzones completed by the spring of 2026.
Brightlingsea councillor Mick Barry, TDC’s cabinet member for sport and leisure, said: “The introduction of Playzones is a significant step forward in our Sport and Leisure Strategy. By working with partners at the Football Foundation to improve lifestyle choices, we are making progress to improved community access to top-notch facilities that encourage physical activity and social interaction.”
To support its bid for funding, TDC has launched a public consultation to determine the need for such a facility and to discover who might use it. The consultation closes on Monday, October 14.
