More than £100,000 investment to create new community football opportunities in Scunthorpe

More young people, grassroots teams and community groups will be able to play football at the HITEK training ground thanks to an investment of more than £100,000 to transform a run-down playing pitch.

The funding has been awarded to New Show Ground CIC through Pride in Place programme following a recommendation from the Scunthorpe Neighbouring Board.

It will fund improvements to the training pitch at Scunthorpe United's ground, including drainage and renovation of the playing surface, creating a better-quality facility that can be used much more widely by the community.

The ambition is to open more opportunities for children, young people, local teams and players of different ages and abilities to train and play at the site.

Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: "This is exactly the kind of investment we want to support - backing a community asset that means a huge amount to local people and making sure even more people can use it.

"Scunthorpe United is part of the fabric of the town, but this project goes beyond the first team. It will create more opportunities for children, young people and grassroots teams to train and play here.

"This investment builds on that strength and helps make sure the site continues to serve local people for years to come."

The training pitch has deteriorated over the past five years and requires significant work to its drainage and playing surface before it can be used more intensively.

Once completed, the improvements will allow New Show Ground CIC to make the facility available to a wider range of groups and create more opportunities for people to get involved in football.

Michelle Harness said: "The training pitch has become really run down over the last five years. It needs drainage and renovation to bring it back into proper use.

"Once the work is complete, we'll be able to use it for more different age groups and community groups, as well as the first team.

"It means we can get more people of all ages playing football here and hopefully help develop more talented local footballers."

Cllr Andrea Davison is a member of the Pride in Place Board and said: "We saw when the club was in trouble just how much it meant to the community. The response was massive.

"Scunthorpe United is a really important community asset for the town and the surrounding villages, and this is an excellent project that will help more people benefit from it."

The project is one of those recommend for approval by the Scunthorpe Neighbourhood Board as part of the Pride in Place programme, which is supporting projects that improve local facilities, strengthen communities and help people take greater pride in the places where they live.

The New Show Ground CIC owns the Attis Arena and the surrounding land. As a community interest company, it exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholders, helping safeguard the ground as the long-term home of Scunthorpe United and a community asset.