The proposal aims to increase overall sports participation by replacing one existing grass pitch with an all-weather 3G pitch that can be used throughout the year. Unlike natural grass, which can become unplayable during periods of wet weather, the proposed surface is designed to provide significantly greater availability and more consistent use across all seasons. This would enable more sessions, training and matches to take place, particularly for children, young people, schools and community groups.

Yes. The planning application will include information on the current and proposed sports provision, including how the facilities are intended to be used. This will help explain how the proposal supports increased year-round participation. 

The planning application will be supported by a range of technical assessments covering matters such as transport, noise, lighting and other relevant planning considerations. These documents will be publicly available once the application has been submitted. 

The Lighting Assessment will consider matters such as light spill, glare and the potential impact on neighbouring properties and the surrounding environment. The assessment will be available to view as part of the planning application.

The detailed lighting specification, including column heights and technical information, will be included within the Lighting Assessment submitted as part of the planning application. 

Any proposed operating hours for the pitch and its floodlighting will form part of the planning application. If planning permission is granted, the Local Planning Authority may impose conditions where considered appropriate. 

A Noise Impact Assessment has been undertaken as part of the planning process and considers the proposed use of the facility. The assessment will be published alongside the planning application.

The proposed pitch specification, including the surfacing system and measures to manage drainage and minimise the migration of infill material, will be set out within the planning application and supporting technical reports.

A Transport Assessment has been prepared to assess the potential impact of the proposals, including traffic and parking. This assessment will form part of the planning application and will be available for public review.

Any planning conditions would be determined by the Local Planning Authority if planning permission is granted. These could relate to matters such as operating hours, lighting, noise management and other operational controls where considered necessary. 

Once the planning application has been validated by the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, it will be published on the Council’s Planning Portal. Residents will be able to view all application documents and submit comments during the statutory consultation period. The Council will determine how neighbouring properties are notified in accordance with its normal planning procedures.

A new 91m × 55m 3G Football Turf Pitch (FTP) with LED floodlighting, perimeter fencing, acoustic barrier and spectator area. The synthetic surface replaces two existing 11-aside grass pitches and will be lined for 11v11, 9v9, and 7v7 formats, making it usable for multiple age groups and formats simultaneously.  

The project will retain and improve the existing 9v9 grass pitch and add two 5v5 (or 3v3) grass pitches. 

Natural grass pitches are unusable in wet or frozen conditions, cannot support floodlit play safely in winter, and require significant recovery time after heavy use. A 3G surface is playable 365 days a year, regardless of weather, providing approximately three to four times the annual playing hours of a maintained grass pitch. The Football Foundation specifically funds 3G FTPs because of this community capacity uplift.  

Yes. The specification meets FIFA Quality standards for 3G synthetic turf, which is the minimum standard required by the Football Foundation and endorsed by Surrey FA for competitive use by affiliated clubs. 

New ball-stop fencing will be installed around the perimeter of the pitch. This ranges from approximately 1.1m to 4.5m in height and will be finished in dark green to blend with the surrounding environment.  

We will use a high-quality, lightweight wire fence designed specifically to minimise visual impact. The fencing allows clear views through it, helping to preserve the sense of openness across the site.  

The new fencing is to be designed and installed as set out within the Noise Impact Assessment. The fencing and acoustic mitigation measures are being designed in accordance with the Noise Impact Assessment. Acoustic fencing will be installed where required to reduce noise transmission from pitch activity.  

Along the eastern boundary facing Lower Ham Road, an additional acoustic barrier will be installed. Views from Lower Ham Road are already largely screened by the existing boundary fencing and mature trees. Residents on Wittering Close would primarily see the sports fencing rather than the acoustic barrier itself.  

Noise-absorbing features are also incorporated into the fencing design to reduce the sound of ball impact and help minimise disturbance to nearby homes.

A confirmed construction and opening timeline will be confirmed following Football Foundation grant and planning approval. All current pitch users will be formally notified at least three months before construction commences and will have alternative provision arrangements in place.   

The pitches at YMCA Hawker are already used by a range of schools, sports clubs and community groups. This includes The Kingston Academy, Fern Hill Primary School, Kingston Town Junior Football Club, Fulham FC Foundation and a number of local football clubs.  

The proposed 3G pitch would continue to support The Kingston Academy and increase access to year-round outdoor sports opportunities for pupils. It would also create additional opportunities for other local secondary and primary schools.  

There would be increased opportunities for local sports clubs, grassroots football teams, community organisations and casual users, including junior and youth football clubs such as Richmond Park Girls, Richmond & Kew FC and AFC Kingston, amongst others.  

YMCA Hawker is currently engaging with local groups and stakeholders to understand demand and ensure the facility benefits as many people as possible.  

The facility will operate through a managed booking system, helping to balance use between schools, clubs, community organisations and local residents.

The total project cost is approximately £1mil. The primary funder is the Football Foundation, with other funders supporting the overall project costs. 

The proposal aims to increase overall sports participation by replacing one existing grass pitch with an all-weather 3G pitch that can be used throughout the year. Unlike natural grass, which can become unplayable during periods of wet weather, the proposed surface is designed to provide significantly greater availability and more consistent use across all seasons. This would enable more sessions, training and matches to take place, particularly for children, young people, schools and community groups.

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames currently has zero full-sized 3G FTPs with genuine community access every day and evening — an unusual position for an inner London borough. The Kingston and Richmond Local Football Facility Plan’s (LFFP) documents show a shortfall of full-size community 3G pitches. There is currently a severe shortage of availability for local teams to play all year round. 

YMCA Hawker is based within Kingston, however, YMCA Hawker sits on the Kingston–Ham/Richmond boundary. Approximately 40% of current Hawker customers travel from Ham, which falls within the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The new 3G FTP will directly address identified shortfalls in both boroughs simultaneously — a cross-boundary outcome that no other priority site in either the Kingston or Richmond can deliver.  

Three principal strategic documents underpin the case: the 2024 Kingston Local Football Facility Plan (LFFP), the Richmond Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS, 2023), and Surrey FA’s 2024–2028 Strategy (‘A Thriving Grassroots Game in Surrey’). Initial Hawker community football club engagement confirmed that 8 out of 9 ranked upgrading to 3G as a top two priority; and 6 out of 9 stated floodlighting was essential to their sustained use of the site.

Within a 30-minute catchment, there are some nearby options for football, including GOALS Tolworth and a number of school-based 3G or MUGA facilities. However, these are generally either small-sided commercial venues or school-restricted surfaces, so they are not a direct substitute for a full-sized community 3G pitch.  

Yes. The Kingston Academy currently uses the grass pitches for daily curriculum PE and inter-school competition. Grey Court School has also indicated they would consider playing school matches when their fields are unplayable during the winter months. Kingston and Richmond borough primary school sports organisers have confirmed interest in adding Hawker as a competition venue for cross-borough tournaments (Years 2–6), including the ‘Battle of the Boroughs’ tournament — events that currently have no Hawker presence.  

Dedicated accessible daytime pitch slots will be made for disability groups through partners such as Kingston Active4All (facilitated by Royal Borough of Kingston), Fulham FC Foundation and Surrey FA. Notably, most of Kingston’s outdoor sports facilities with accessible changing rooms are school-based, meaning daytime access for disability groups is severely limited Kingston borough-wide — the new facility directly addresses this gap. 

Yes. Alongside girls, women’s and junior football club bookings, pitch slots will be available for casual community hire through the online booking platform. This could include recreational men’s football, walking football, and community physical activity events.  

Women’s and girls’ football is a primary outcome of this project, not a secondary consideration. A minimum number of hours per week will be reserved for women’s and girls’ football — covering junior training, match days, and development sessions with partner clubs. FA Playmaker, Grassroots Coaching Award, and Introduction to Coaching Football courses will be targeted specifically at girls and women and will be delivered with Surrey FA. 

A tiered pricing structure will apply. A community rate will apply to Surrey FA-affiliated junior clubs, schools, disability groups, and social prescribing referrals. Full commercial rates will apply to casual hirers and corporate bookings. 

Yes. The tiered pricing structure includes concessionary rates for individuals where cost is a barrier; this is in keeping with current YMCA pricing structures

Both. The online booking platform will allow individual and group casual bookings alongside recurring club and school bookings. 

YMCA St Paul’s Group will manage the 3G FTP directly — it will not be outsourced to an external operator. Day-to-day management will be the responsibility of the YMCA Hawker team. YMCA has operated community sports and wellbeing facilities for many years and currently operates gym, tennis, softplay and community spaces at Hawker.  

All community bookings will be managed through an online booking platform. The system will provide real-time availability, advance booking and automated payment confirmation.  

The pitch will be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s and contractor’s stipulated regime. Routine maintenance (brushing, infill topping, litter clearing) will be carried out by trained YMCA Hawker Centre staff. Specialist maintenance (deep clean, decompaction, performance testing) will be contracted to an approved specialist. 

A Hawker Football Steering Group will be formed. Membership will include Kingston upon Thames, key local junior football clubs, local schools, disability sport representation, through Fulham FC Foundation, Surrey FA and current Hawker users. The group will meet quarterly. The Football Foundation has specific reporting requirements that will be overseen by the steering group. 

The current two grass 11-aside pitches are in poor condition and will be replaced by one larger 3G surface. The adjacent 9v9 natural turf pitch will be retained and improved to allow continued training and fixtures. Two additional 5-aside (and 3v3) grass pitches will be added to encourage more younger player opportunities. This will provide a mixed surface solution at the site to support player development across age groups — a model that is good practice for youth football and community users.  

The project team recognises the importance of providing sustainable travel options and encouraging people to walk, cycle or use public transport wherever possible.

The provision of cycle parking will be reviewed as part of the planning and design process. If increased demand is identified, additional bike racks and cycle parking facilities may be considered to support greater use of the site and encourage active travel.

A community engagement programme covering six distinct stakeholder groups: grassroots football clubs, local residents, Hawker customers, local schools, disability sport groups, and underrepresented community organisations. Engagement is directly shaping programming priorities, including dedicated disability sessions, female-only coaching opportunities and identified daytime school access needs.  

The 3G pitch is expected to materially increase the social value generated at YMCA Hawker through expanded reach to new and underserved participants. An annual Social Value Report will be produced for the Royal Borough of Kingston, Football Foundation and Surrey FA. 

The current grassed pitches are used for football and sports activities. While the pitch is expected to be used more frequently than the existing grass pitches, the Noise Impact Assessment indicates that noise levels can be appropriately managed through the proposed acoustic mitigation measures. An acoustic barrier is included in the project design to mitigate noise from one end of the pitch. LED floodlighting is specified, which is more directional and energy-efficient than traditional metal halide alternatives (such as those currently present on the YMCA Hawker tennis courts), reducing light spill. Through the engagement with residents will address local concerns around floodlighting, noise, and increased use of the car park.  

Although football-led, the facility is designed for multi-sport use, such as schools’ multi-sport curriculum (athletics warm-ups, multi-sport skills, tag rugby); group fitness and bootcamp sessions; disability multi-sport (walking sports, disability athletics). 

The income generated from hiring the 3G pitch will be reinvested into the operation, maintenance and long-term sustainability of YMCA Hawker Centre and its facilities. This helps ensure the site remains financially viable and able to continue providing activities, services and facilities for the local community.

Any surplus income would support YMCA’s charitable objectives and help maintain and improve facilities used by local residents, community groups and young people. Further details on how income will be allocated will be confirmed by YMCA as the project develops.

Yes. With initial funding from the Football Foundation and support from additional funding partners, The facility is projected to be operationally sustainable based on conservative utilisation assumptions informed by community engagement and benchmarked against comparable community 3G facilities in South London. Income streams include community pitch hire, schools, disability and inclusive sessions, and FA coaching courses and events.

Contingency measures are built into the governance framework via regular monitoring by the steering group. Surrey FA will be engaged for additional activation support, and the Football Foundation’s Relationship Manager will be notified of any significant underperformance. This governance model is consistent with Football Foundation expectations for funded facilities and mirrors the reporting framework at comparable sites nationally.  

A dedicated sinking fund will be established with annual contributions set aside from facility income to accumulate funds for pitch replacement at the anticipated end-of-life point after ten years. This is a Football Foundation requirement and is incorporated into the financial model.

Yes. Clear physical separation between the construction site and operational areas of YMCA Hawker Centre will be maintained throughout the build. A currently disused access gate will be used during the building stage of the project. Hoarding, signage, and dedicated construction site access routes will ensure no overlap with community, school, or member access. Current pitch users such as The Kingston Academy, Kingston Town FC, and Fulham FC Foundation will be formally notified in advance and will have agreed alternative provision arrangements in place. Those early conversations have already been held. 

The appointed contractor will be selected through the Football Foundation’s AGP Framework and will act as Principal Contractor and will be responsible for the Construction Phase Health and Safety Plan in compliance with CDM 2015 Regulations. 

Construction activity will take place during normal working hours and will be subject to the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames’ standard construction hours conditions. YMCA will notify immediate neighbours before construction commences and will provide a named point of contact for residents to raise any concerns during the build. 

It is hoped the pitch will be available for use from 7 am to 10pm weekdays and 8 am-8 pm weekends. The current floodlit tennis courts are used 8 am-9 pm. The current grass pitches are already used for football. What will change is the reliability and consistency of use — currently, poor weather means pitches are often empty; an all-weather surface means more consistent, but more predictable, use. Planning conditions and any subsequent planning decision will govern the final operating hours of the facility. 

The floodlighting specification uses LED technology, which is more directional and controllable than traditional floodlights. A formal lighting assessment will be carried out as part of the planning application process, showing calculated light spill levels at the site boundary. This is a standard planning requirement, and the results will be publicly available. The LED columns will be comparable in scale to those already present on the Hawker tennis courts

An acoustic barrier is being incorporated into the design at one end of the pitch specifically to manage sound from pitch activity. A noise impact assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application — this is a requirement for all 3G pitch developments and will assess activity at the boundary of the site. We recognise that more consistent use of the pitch will mean more activity on some evenings and weekends, but the general level of noise is not expected to increase.

Increased use of the pitch will bring more visitors to the site at peak times. YMCA Hawker already has an on-site car park serving the Centre with spaces for 120 cars. A transport and parking assessment will be submitted as part of the planning application. We will also actively promote walking, cycling, and public transport to the facility — Hawker is well-served by local bus routes. The site management plan will include guidance for users on considerate parking and arrival behaviour to protect residential streets nearby. We are not expecting peak centre usage car parking availability to be any different to current peaks and will actively manage car parking in the same way we do currently for events on site.   

We understand the concern about traffic and parking. At present, the site has the potential for two 11-a-side grass games to take place at the same time, whereas with the proposal in place this would be reduced to one 11-a-side match on the all-weather pitch.  

While we do expect overall usage of the facility to increase, this is because the new surface will allow play in all weather conditions and into the evening, which is not possible at the moment. We therefore expect the site to be used more consistently, rather than necessarily creating a large spike in peak-time traffic.  

We also believe the existing parking provision is sufficient to manage the expected levels of use, and we will put measures in place to help manage arrivals and departures, including encouraging car sharing and promoting walking, cycling and other sustainable travel where possible.

The pitch will be a managed, lockable, bookings-only facility — it will not be an open-access facility usable without a booking. All users will be registered through the booking platform. The pitch will be enclosed with secure perimeter fencing and access will be controlled. YMCA Hawker Centre staff will be on site during all operating hours. This is the same model used at comparable managed community 3G facilities across South London.  

This is a question that has been raised at other 3G pitch developments nationally. The rubber infill material (crumb rubber) used in 3G pitches has been subject to significant research. Major health reviews in Europe and the UK — including a UEFA-commissioned study — have found no evidence of elevated health risk from use of 3G pitches. The Football Foundation, which part-funds and quality-assures the installation, operates a responsible procurement and recycling programme for pitch materials.  

The pitch will also include measures to keep the infill material on site and prevent it from spreading into surrounding land, drains or grassed areas. These measures will include silt traps and filters, low containment edges, entrance mats and boot-cleaning stations. A 300mm grass margin will also be provided around the outside of the pitch to act as an additional buffer.   

Routine maintenance and monitoring will ensure these measures remain effective throughout the life of the facility.  

The project replaces two existing 11-a-side grass football pitches, which are already managed sports surfaces rather than natural habitat. The current 9v9 grass pitch will be improved and two additional 5v5 grass pitches created, meaning the overall sports offer remains mixed and accessible to a range of age groups.  

The wider Hawker site — including the bowling green, landscaped areas and riverside setting — will not be affected. Where any planting or landscaping is impacted by the development, replacement planting and ecological enhancements will be incorporated.  

An ecological assessment will be completed as part of the planning process and the project will be required to achieve Biodiversity Net Gain in accordance with planning policy.   

Yes. The proposals include opportunities to enhance biodiversity within the site through additional landscaping and ecological improvements. 

The project team is exploring measures such as enhanced planting, long-grass habitats, wildflower areas and other biodiversity initiatives, with the aim of increasing the site’s overall ecological value where possible.  

Any remaining biodiversity requirement would be addressed through the wider biodiversity strategy, which may include off-site provision if needed to ensure the overall Biodiversity Net Gain requirement is achieved.  

The operating hours for the proposed 3G pitch have not yet been finalised. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, YMCA Hawker operated with longer opening hours than it does today. 

Currently, the centre operates: 

• Monday to Thursday: 7:00am – 9:00pm 
• Friday: 7:00am – 8:00pm 
• Weekends: 8:00am – 4:00pm 

As part of the proposed development, the pitch would become an all-weather facility capable of supporting increased use throughout the year. Any future operating hours will be confirmed as part of the planning process and operational planning for the site. 

The exact height of the proposed acoustic barrier has not yet been finalised. However, noise modelling undertaken for the project concluded that acoustic fencing would be required along the eastern boundary of the proposed 3G pitch, facing Lower Ham Road. 

The visual impact of the barrier is reduced by the existing boundary fence and mature trees that already sit between Lower Ham Road and the proposed location of the acoustic fencing. We have included visual illustrations showing the proposed location of the acoustic barrier to help residents understand how it may appear from surrounding areas. 

YMCA Hawker currently operates a free parking system with minimal restrictions. 

Future operational arrangements may include time-limited parking periods for users, although no decisions have been made at this stage. Any changes would be carefully considered to ensure the site continues to operate effectively for members, visitors and local users. 

It is also important to note that YMCA Hawker has full control over events and activities taking place on site and will continue to manage usage levels appropriately when the centre is operating at full capacity.

Yes. YMCA Hawker has committed to improving the changing facilities that directly serve the outdoor pitches. 

The changing rooms adjacent to the pitches, which have their own dedicated external access, will be upgraded to an appropriate standard to support increased pitch usage. These improvements are separate from the indoor changing facilities used by gym and leisure centre member

YMCA will notify residents directly ahead of any planning submission and construction activity. The planning application, once submitted to the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, will be publicly available and residents will have the formal opportunity to submit comments through the planning process.

A dedicated website page and email haveyoursay@ymcaspg.org has been created where residents can voice concerns. We would rather hear concerns early and address them than find out about them later.