Outdoor sports surfaces
Artificial sport surfaces are often more durable and flexible, make better use of available space and are cheaper to maintain than natural ones.
There is a wide variety of types available. For example:
- Artificial grass pitches for sports like hockey, football and rugby
- Smaller multi-use games areas, often referred to as MUGAs)
- Specialist outdoor facilities such as tennis courts, netball courts, athletics tracks and artificial cricket wickets.
Through the Inspired Facilities fund you can apply for a grant to
- Install a new pitch, court or other facility
- Upgrade an existing facility to provide a better playing surface
- Make an existing facility suitable for a wider number of sports.
So how do you know which type of surface you need?
Step one – what's it for?
You don’t have to become an expert in artificial surfaces, you simply need to think about the sports you want to play and the level you want to play them at.
For example, hockey and football require different types of surface to rugby union and league.
And while you can play competitive hockey on a short pile rubber crumb pitch, serious competition should take place on a sand or water-based pitch.
We have pulled together a list of popular sports and surfaces to help you easily match the sports your projects wants to provide to the surfaces you need.
Step two – what will it cost?
Once you know what type of surface you need, you need to work out the cost.
This will vary according to whether you are installing a new pitch or upgrading an existing one
Simply browse the list below, make a note of the item details and cost that you need and use it to fill in your online application form.
Code | Item | Technical info | Typical size | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
OS1 | Full-sized football and hockey pitch | Short pile 3g | 106m x 71m |
£685,000 |
OS2 | Full-sized football and hockey | Sand filled or sand dressed pitch | 106m x 71m |
£660,000 |
OS3 | Training pitch hockey and football | Sand filled pitch | 61m x 42.6m |
£300,000 |
OS4 | Multi use games area (MUGA) | Polymeric | 40m x 18m |
£135,000 |
OS5 | Netball court area | Polymeric | 36.6m x 21.35m |
£145,000 |
OS6 | Football five-a-side | Polymeric | 25m x 16.5m |
£80,000 |
OS7 | Two tennis courts | Porous macadam | 36.58m x 33.53m |
£125,000 |
OS8 | Netball games area | Porous macadam | 36.6m x 21.35m |
£105,000 |
OS9 | Artificial cricket strip | N/A | 32m x 3m |
£12,500 |
OS10 | Artificial grass cricket practice wicket; | N/A | 32m x 3m | £22,000 |
| CODE | ITEM | TECHNICAL INFO | TYPICAL SIZE | COST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OS11 | Upgrade to full-size pitch from existing sand filled/dressed or 3g to long pile | Long pile 3g | 106m x 71m | £295,000 |
| 0S12 | Upgrade to training pitch from existing sand filled/dressed or 3g to long pile | Long pile 3g | 61m x 42.6m | £110,000 |
| 0S13 | Upgrade full-size pitch to from existing sand filled/dressed or 3g to short pile. | Short pile 3g | 106m x 71m | £260,000 |
| 0S14 | Upgrade training pitch from existing sand filled/dressed or 3g to short pile | Short pile 3g | 61m x 42.6m | £95,000 |
| 0S15 | Improve existing full size sand-filled football and hockey pitch | Sand filled or | 106m x 71m | £240,000 |
| 0S16 | Improve existing sand-filled football training pitch with new sand-filled carpet system | Sand filled | 61m x 42.6m | £75,000 |
| 0S17 | Improve existing multi use games area, including new fencing, posts and goals | Polymeric | 40m x 18m | £65,000 |
| 0S18 | Improve existing netball size games area, including new fencing, posts and goals | Polymeric | 36.6m x 21.35m | £60,000 |
| 0S19 | Improve existing two tennis court size area including new fencing, posts and goals. | Porous macadam | 36.58m x 33.53m | £45,000 |
| 0S20 | Improve existing netball size games area including new fencing, posts and goals. | Porous macadam | 36.6m x 21.35m | £40,000 |
Please note that that his information is intended as a guide to help you calculate the approximate cost only and should not be used for ordering or installation purposes.
