A scheme that will see much-improved football facilities at Bude Park will soon kick-off thanks to investment from the Premier League, The FA and government’s Football Foundation.
Bude Park was identified as a potential site for improvement by the Football Foundation.
Submitted last summer, the project will see the creation of a full-size pitch, six junior grass pitches , a changing pavilion, as well as a 50-space car park, with three motorcycle bays and 10 cycle stands.
In addition to the Football Foundation’s contribution, funding has also come from the Foredyke Area Committee, with the remaining budget coming courtesy of Hull City Council’s Capital Programme.
Kingswood United will continue to use the playing fields as its home ground once the work has been completed and will remain part of the project team as it now progresses.
Cllr Rob Pritchard, the council’s portfolio holder for culture and leisure, said: “This is fantastic news for the local footballing community, providing top notch facilities for it and residents.
“I would like to thank the Football Foundation for awarding us this valuable funding and I look forward to seeing it progress.”
Work will begin soon, with the fields then requiring a 12-month period of non-activity for them to be established and ready to be used for football matches.
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.
“Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.
“This grant awarded to Hull City Council towards developing Bude Park football facilities is great news for the local community.”
Kingswood United was formed in 2019 and now has 620 registered players across 34 teams, with both male and female junior and adult teams.
Club founder, Paul Richardson, said: “This development is great news for all the children and volunteers associated with Kingswood United.
“This is something we’ve been keen to see since we first formed in 2019.
“The improvements to the playing pitches and changing facilities will help sustain our future and creating a higher quality environment for our club to grow and a pathway from junior to senior football.
“Expanding the car park will help relieve congestion on game days and ensure a safer facility for children arriving and leaving the site, emphasising our driving force as a club and making it a more enjoyable experience for all.”
