Sports Infrastructure Funding

We have committed £600,000 to improve, protect and enhance outdoor sports pitches and facilities via the Sports Infrastructure Funding grant programme.

Driven by the recommended actions of Wealden’s Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy, partners can apply for between £5,000 and £50,000 to improve their community, outdoor sports facilities.

Background

The Sports Infrastructure Funding was established following the development of the Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy, which provides evidence for our Local Plan. The strategy identifies local needs and recommends actions across more than 120 projects to protect and improve sports facilities across the district.

Recognising the important role of accessible sports facilities in supporting healthy, active communities, our Cabinet agreed in March 2024 to commit £600,000 towards delivering these actions. The funding helps respond to local needs by ensuring facilities are fit for purpose, sustainable and accessible to all.

Working with partners including Sport England, National Governing Bodies and local communities, the fund supports investment where it can have the greatest impact. Improved facilities create more opportunities for physical activity, volunteering and community involvement, supporting the Council Strategy.

The investment helps create healthier, more active communities and ensure local sports facilities meet residents’ needs for years to come.

Heathfield Park Cricket Club

This funding has supported Heathfield Park Cricket Club by replacing its cricket nets, improving facilities for players of all ages and abilities. The new nets provide safer, more consistent and focused practice opportunities, while helping protect the quality and longevity of the cricket wicket.

The improved facilities have made cricket more accessible and inclusive for the wider community, supporting players to develop their skills in a safe and dedicated environment. Since the new nets were installed, the club has seen increased participation.

Wadhurst Lawn Tennis Club

This club received £20,000 through this funding to resurface two deteriorating tennis courts with new clay surfaces. The investment has rejuvenated the courts, improving their quality, safety and longevity while ensuring they remain fit for purpose.

The improved facilities provide members and the wider community with a better playing experience and greater opportunities to participate in tennis throughout the year.

Forest Row Cricket Club

£18,328 was awarded to Forest Row Cricket Club to improve its cricket wickets, enhancing the quality and usability of the club’s existing facilities. The investment has improved playing conditions for players of all ages and abilities, providing a more reliable and enjoyable environment for training and matches.

The improved facilities also benefit the wider Forest Row community by supporting greater participation in sport, encouraging active lifestyles and providing a well-maintained local facility for future generations.

Crowborough Tennis & Squash Club

Crowborough Tennis and Squash Club were given £20,000 to resurface their courts with an artificial clay surface. The new surface provides a more comfortable playing experience, helping to reduce the impact on players while creating high-quality, reliable courts for members and the wider community.

Artificial clay also requires less maintenance than traditional surfaces, helping the club reduce ongoing upkeep and keep their facilities in better condition for longer.

Buxted Park Cricket Club

£12,000 was given to Buxted Park Cricket Club to deliver three hybrid cricket pitches: two at Buxted Park and one at Maresfield Recreation Ground. The investment provides higher-quality, more reliable playing surfaces, improving conditions for players of all ages and abilities.

The new hybrid pitches helps to protect the long-term future of cricket at both sites by improving the durability and usability of the facilities. This will support the club in encouraging greater participation.

Overall impact and results

This funding is one of many council commitments to improving sports and leisure facilities across the district.

Over £610,000 has already supported improvements to two community-use hockey pitches, £600,000 has been allocated towards new 3G football pitches, £1.35 million has improved accessibility at Uckfield Rugby Club and we have invested significantly in the district’s three leisure centres.

As of September 2026, the Sports Infrastructure Fund has helped deliver improvements to eleven grass root sports facilities and clubs, including improvements to pitch drainage, new cricket nets, resurfacing tennis courts and upgrades to changing facilities.

Together, these investments are making facilities better, improving health and wellbeing, and creating more inclusive and accessible opportunities for local communities. By investing in the quality and accessibility of local sports facilities, the funding is helping clubs respond to demand and provide better experiences for participants. It also supports the long-term sustainability of community sports, ensuring facilities can continue to benefit residents for years to come.