Windsor & Eton's 3G vision hailed as 'vital investment' for young people and community

Following a period of consultation on plans to install a new 3G pitch at Stag Meadow, Windsor & Eton have said 82 per cent of those who responded had ‘expressed clear support for the plan in principle’

The Royalists are looking to install a new state-of-the-art 3G pitch at their ground and claim the move would be a ‘game changer’ for the club in terms of bringing in new revenue and enabling more people to play the sport.

The club has been on the rise since it was formed back in 2023, with the men’s senior rising out of the Thames Valley Premier Division, through Combined Counties League 1 and into the Combined Counties Premier Division North, where they currently sit third under new boss Rob Webb.

It holds a 25-year lease for Stag Meadow with The Crown Estate and has set itself a goal of building a ‘sustainable and inclusive future’ for football in Windsor. Planning approval to build this new artificial surface would go some way towards helping them achieve that goal.

The club would replace its grass pitch with an 3G surface that would be used all year round by the men’s, women’s and youth teams - as well as the wider community. It would provide a permanent home for the club’s 50 youth teams, expand access for school groups and support new teams and programmes for women’s and girls in the area.

When the plans were announced, the club called on residents to #backthepitch and #backthekids and discussions have been continuing with the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead over the proposal.

A club statement released on Monday, said: “Between 10th September and 1st October, Windsor & Eton Football Club carried out a 21-day consultation on our plans to install a new 3G pitch at Stag Meadow.

“This process included an in-person consultation meeting for residents, as well as opportunities to respond via both online and paper-based surveys. In addition, we are proud to note that 1,184 people have to date signed our petition of support, demonstrating the breadth of backing across the Windsor community.

“In total, 113 consultation survey responses were received from the public. Of these, over 82% expressed clear support for the principle of development and its positive impact on the community.

“It is also important to note that around 79 per cent of responses came from the SL4 postcode, demonstrating that the views shared are highly local and relevant to the local community.”

The club believes the overwhelming message given to them by the public by this consultation is that the new pitch would be a ‘fantastic asset for Windsor’.

They added that responses showed people see the proposal as a ‘vital investment in Windsor’s young people’ and a facility that would ‘benefit the whole town for years to come’.

Some residents have raised concerns about the impact the changes might have on wildlife, and biodiversity, and as part of the club’s application, independent specialists will carry out an ecological appraisal and biodiversity net gain assessment - ensuring there’s at least a 10 per cent biodiversity improvement.

Concerns have also been raised over the health implications of 3G pitches. The club has responded by highlighting there are now 2,000 3G pitches across the UK - including at neighbouring schools and clubs. It said that independent scientific studies by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) say there is “no reason to advise people against playing sports on synthetic turf containing recycled rubber granules.”

Other areas of concern included ‘light and noise’, ‘traffic and parking’ and ‘access’ - after the club recently installed a controversial car park barrier.

Windsor & Eton insisted the pitch would be open between 9a and 10pm only - not 11pm as had been stated elsewhere. Their floodlights will also be replaced with new LED technology, limiting light spill to surrounding areas.

The club also has a traffic and parking management plan to minimise any disruption on the busiest match-days. Outside of matchdays the club expect the facility to be mainly used by youth teams and schools with far lower traffic.

The statement continued: “We continue to welcome fair and honest debate, and we remain committed to transparency.

“This consultation has shown very strong overall support while highlighting areas where we can provide reassurance.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and open dialogue, we will be holding a follow-up meeting (date to be confirmed) for residents ahead of submitting our full planning application. This session will provide an opportunity to run through some of the key specifics in more detail, in particular our proposed transport and parking plan, and to answer any remaining questions.

“We thank everyone who has contributed their views and look forward to continuing this journey together.”