'Desperately needed' 3G football pitch planned for the Deepings
Deeping Rangers submit bid for £1m all-weather facility after being named a high-priority area, with more than 80 teams lacking local access
A desperately needed new 3G football pitch could soon be built in the Deepings, as Deeping Rangers formally submit plans for a £1 million all-weather facility.
The club has been working for two years with the Football Foundation and Lincolnshire FA, who have identified the Deepings as a high-priority area for investment because of the sheer number of teams unable to access suitable pitches.
Stuart Benson, commercial manager and project lead at the club, said the demand far outstrips what is currently available.
“There are over 80 teams if you look at Market Deeping, Deeping St James and Langtoft,” he said. “One 3G pitch is good for around 38 teams - so the area is completely below where it should be.”
The shortage means clubs across the Deepings are being forced to train and play miles away in Bourne, Stamford, Peterborough and Spalding - facilities that Benson says are already oversubscribed.
And winter weather is making matters worse.
“The last three Saturdays we haven’t been able to get any of our junior and youth teams playing any football,” he said. “Having a 3G facility would mean all those six- to 18-year-olds could play at the weekend and train locally during the week.”
A new community hub
The proposed site at the Deepings Sports & Social Club would also act as a wider community sports hub.
Benson said the project criteria require it to be “community based”, with:
- Local schools invited to use the pitch during the day
- New disability football sessions
- Pay-and-play opportunities and a revived small-sided league
- Shared access for partner clubs including Deeping United and Langtoft
“It’s desperately needed in the Deepings,” he added. “We’re the best-placed partner to deliver it, but the whole community benefits.”
Funding the project
The proposed 3G facility is expected to cost around £1 million. The Football Foundation - the club’s primary partner - is set to fund up to 70% of the total cost through its national programme, which draws on government, Premier League and lottery funding.
That leaves Deeping Rangers and the Deepings Sports & Social Club working to raise the remaining share. South Kesteven District Council has already committed £200,000, but a further £100,000 still needs to be secured locally.
To bridge that gap, the club has launched a series of community fundraising efforts -including this weekend’s Santa Fun Run, which Benson says is helping build momentum.
“Events like the Santa Fun Run show the community is behind us,” he said. “Every bit of support brings us closer to delivering a facility the Deepings really need.”
Deeping Rangers hope the new pitch will end years of lost fixtures and give young players a reliable place to train and compete.