PLANS for a new 3G pitch at a Merthyr Tydfil school have taken a step forward.
On Wednesday, December 6, councillors approved submitting an application for funding to the Cymru Football Foundation and Sport Wales to develop a 3G site at Afon Taf High School.
This would be placed next to the John Sellwood Community Track and be operated and maintained by the school, as part of its community facility.
The pitch will be fenced and floodlit, with funding already in place for track floodlights built into the plan.
A report to council said the current three-quarter size artificial pitch at Grove Fields, Aberfan, has reached the end of its lifespan.
At the start of 2023-24 financial year, the council successfully applied for funding to replace the Grove Fields pitch with a full-size 3G football pitch and the project was due to cost about £950,000.
The plan was for it to be run by Wellbeing Merthyr, which already manages it, but the report said that considering the ongoing issues surrounding the sustainability of the organisation, it was agreed it would not be appropriate for it to take on a new facility of that size and scope.
The council has also received set criteria from the funders, which says the facility needs to be run by a public organisation.
A second option to move the proposal to Afon Taf was discussed with the funders and it was agreed the initial funding agreement with the Cymru Football Foundation would be withdrawn and a new application invited.
Sport Wales agreed to retain its financial support, subject to a successful Cymru Football Foundation application.
Discussions are underway with staff at Afon Taf, senior education staff from within the council and funders to map out a potential bid for a full-sized 3G pitch to be developed at the site.
Since 2021-22, Active Merthyr (MTCBC Sports Development) has led on a Merthyr football forum and this year has developed a football development plan. The forum includes the FAW, Merthyr Football League and all affiliated clubs.
A key part of the plan is developing facilities and the need for more 3G and 4G surfaces in the county borough, especially in the south. The report said the new proposal will help to meet this need.
The council funding for the Grove will be used to resurface the existing pitch to ensure it is fit for purpose. Invest Local has agreed to keep its funding in place and options for that will be looked at, such as improving the changing rooms.
Part of the Sport Wales funding brings with it a commitment to resurface the artificial pitch at Cyfarthfa High School to ensure it is maintained to support sports such as hockey that cannot be played on 3G.
Moving the proposed 3G from the Grove site to Afon Taf does mean the internal match funding of £100,000 against the Grove and the funding from Invest Local of £75,000 cannot be used as it is specific to the location.
But Sport Wales has agreed, in principle, that £108,000 of funding allocated to floodlight the Afon Taf track could be used to support the new proposal but this will leave a potential shortfall along with the commitment, as part of the Sport Wales funding, to resurface the Cyfarthfa pitch.
Discussions with senior education staff and internal council departments are ongoing on this, the report said.
Funding already in place from Sport Wales will need to be rolled over into the next financial year, as well as some internal funding.
The report said contractors will provide a quote which will allow fuller detail and the full picture of the funding model and it is expected that the cost is likely to be to a similar level as the Grove Fields project.
