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Appendix 1

Natural Grass and Synthetic TurfPitches Strategy

2007-2012

(Cricket, Football, Hockey and Rugby)

DRAFT(For Approval at the Education and Social Services Committee 22 August 2007)

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Contents

Executive Summary 3

1.0 Introduction 51.1 Background 51.2 Trends 61.3 Purpose

2.0 Audit: The Current State of Play 62.1 Supply of Pitches 62.2 Analysis of General Pitch Condition 62.3 Demand for Pitches 72.4 Demand for Football Pitches 82.5 Demand for Hockey Pitches 82.6 Demand for Cricket Pitches 82.7 Demand for Rugby Pitches 92.8 Demand by Schools 102.9 Pavilions and Changing Facilities 112.10 Analysis of the General Pavilion Condition 112.11 Demand for Pavilions 112.12 Summary of Audit Findings 12

3.0 A Pitch Strategy for Moray: The Future State of Play 143.1 Strategy Formulation 143.2 Strategy Implementation 163.3 Summary Partner Funding Table

4.0 Conclusion 23

Appendix 1: Summary of Pitch Condition Survey 24

Appendix 2: Scottish Junior Football Association Pitch and FacilitiesRequirements 26

Appendix 3:Summary of Pavilion Condition Survey 26

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Executive SummaryOne of the 4 goals identified by the Physical Activity, Sport and Health Strategy forMoray (2007-2012) is to develop a sports facilities strategy. This document aims tomeet this requirement in relation to the provision of an outdoor pitches and changingfacilities strategy for cricket, football, hockey and rugby, in the Moray area, for theperiod 2007-2012.

The strategy is in two main parts. The first part is an audit of the current facilities andthe second part proposes a plan to meet the needs of community sports groups and thedemands of secondary schools in delivering a high quality PE curriculum and ActiveSchools programme.

The key findings of the audit for each sport are as follows: -

CricketThe supply of cricket pitches is considered to be adequate. The provision of indoorand outdoor practice nets would, however, contribute to the further development ofsenior and junior cricket in Moray.

FootballThe demand for quality football pitches exceeds supply and the condition of manypitches is poor due to ‘over use’. For Scottish Junior Football Association (SJFA)affiliated clubs, changing facilities need to be brought up to a higher standard andpitches need to be enclosed to meet new health and safety requirements.

HockeyThe supply of grass hockey pitches is considered to be adequate for developmentneeds. There is, however, the need for an additional 2nd generation sand-dressedsynthetic turf pitch for club league matches in Moray.

RugbyAlthough there is a need to erect a set of rugby posts in the Buckie area, the supply ofrugby pitches is presently considered to be adequate in Moray. The provision of a 3rd

generation synthetic turf pitch in Elgin would, nevertheless, relieve pressure andimprove the condition of Morriston Playing Field.

Multi-sport (School use)As a response to the increasing importance placed on physical activity as part of theschool curriculum, PE teachers and Active Schools Co-ordinators need access to ahigh quality playing surface, throughout the year, that can accommodate a variety ofactivities. This could best be achieved by a 3rd generation synthetic turf surface. Thesefacilities could also be shared with the wider community out-with school hours. Inparticular, this would assist in relieving the demand and improving the condition ofthe natural grass football pitches located throughout Moray.

Based on these findings and on the rationale that, wherever possible, facilities shouldbe shared and accessed by both schools and the local community, the followingobjectives have been proposed for the 5-year period of this strategy.

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These objectives are: -

• To improve the standard of football pavilions and pitches used by BishopmillUnited, Fochabers FC, Lossiemouth United, New Elgin FC and Elgin City FC by2009.

• To develop a ‘hockey centre of excellence’, featuring a 2nd generation syntheticturf pitch, as part of the enhanced sports facility at Elgin Academy by 2012.

• To provide indoor cricket practice nets, as part of the Moray Regional SportsFacility and as part of the Caledonian Cricket Academy by 2012.

• To develop five 3rd generation synthetic turf pitches, and associated changingfacilities, at Buckie, Keith, Speyside, Forres Secondary Schools and Elgin HighSchool (part of the Regional Sport Facility) by 2012.

• To adequately maintain a portfolio of existing and new pavilions, natural grassand synthetic turf pitches at various locations throughout Moray and to erect a setof rugby posts in the playing fields at Buckie Community High School.

The responsibility for achieving these objectives does not rest solely with the Counciland will require a high degree of partnership working with local sports clubs, sport-governing bodies, community stakeholders and with sportscotland.

It is anticipated that the impact of this strategy will mean that more people, of all ages,will have the opportunity to participate and excel in team sports than ever before. Asarticulated in the Physical Activity, Sport and Health Strategy, this will result in morepeople ‘living active lives in Moray and improving their health and well-beingthrough physical activity and sport’.

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1.0 IntroductionAt both local and national government levels, the provision of modern and accessiblesports facilities is crucial to realising the vision outlined in the Physical Activity,Sport and Health Strategy for Moray of ‘improving health and well-being throughphysical activity and sport.’1 The development of a facilities strategy is, consequently,one of four key action points identified by the Moray Community PlanningPartnership and by sportscotland as a priority area for development.

Such a strategy will require the involvement of representatives from local sportsclubs, sportmoray, PE and Active Schools Staff, sportscotland, relevant sportsgoverning bodies, including the Scottish Football Association, as well as guidancefrom Council Sections responsible for lands and parks, property and educationalresources in its formulation.

This report therefore intends to provide a strategic framework for the provision ofoutdoor facilities in the Moray area for cricket, football, hockey and rugby for theperiod 2007-2012.

1.1 BackgroundIn Scotland, at the present time, 74% of all the natural grass pitches require replacingor significant up-grading and the overall portfolio of changing facilities is identifiedas ageing and in poor condition2. This means that the challenges confronting the mainproviders of outdoor sports facilities in Scotland have never been greater.

The following strategy is specifically for the Moray Local Authority area. It is writtenduring a period when the main providers of outdoor pitches in the area, notably theMoray Council, acknowledge the need to maintain and further develop a pitchinfrastructure which will give more people the opportunity to participate and excel inoutdoor team sports than ever before. Furthermore, it is the intention that the strategywill support the development of a network of good quality pitches that will sustainand develop team sports and their respective performance pathways. The strategywill also need to be based on the principles of best value.

A 5-year strategy for outdoor sport facilities in Moray will be radically different fromthe strategy that could have emerged from the Grampian Rural Area Sports Study in1990.

1.2 TrendsSince this study was published, there has been a number of important developments.

For football and hockey, recent technological innovations have resulted in thedevelopment of synthetic turf carpet materials that will withstand 20 or 30 more timesthe number of games to be played per year on these surfaces compared to naturalgrass pitches.

1‘Physical Activity, Sport & Health Strategy for Moray 2007-2012’, The Moray Council, pub 2006,p15.2 ‘National Audit of Scotland’s Sports Facilities, sportscotland, pub 2006, p2.

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Funding through the Scottish Executive’s Public Private Partnership initiative andsportscotland’s regional and community sports funding strands have also offeredsignificant opportunities for capital investment that were not available in 1990.

The way in which pitches are utilised has also changed. Nationally, outdoor teamgames have either evolved or declined in popularity. Soccer 7’s, girls’ & women’sfootball and five-a-side matches are increasingly being played at the expense of thetraditional male 11-a-side game. Furthermore, the implementation of therecommended 2 hours of PE per week for pupils has increased the demand for playingsurfaces suitable for a wide range of different outdoor sports at school.

These important environmental changes3 should be acknowledged and seen asopportunities for the development of an outdoor pitch strategy for Moray.

1.3 PurposeThis report intends to provide a strategic response to these trends and the need forpitch facilities in Moray.

In section 2, this strategy will provide an overview of the current supply of outdoorpitches and associated facilities in Moray in relation to demand. In section 3, thisassessment will provide the rationale for the further development of pitch facilities forthe 5-year period of this strategy.

Please note, that for the purpose of this strategy, outdoor facilities will be limited tocricket, football (11-a-side and 5-a-side), hockey, rugby and curricular and extra-curricular use by schools. Other popular outdoor activities requiring facilities inMoray, such as extreme sports (e.g. skateboarding, mountainbiking) and tennis will bethe subject of later strategy documents.

2.0 Audit: The Current State of PlayThis section will assess the condition of the natural and synthetic turf pitches andpavilions located throughout Moray in relation to the demand for these facilities.

2.1 Supply of PitchesAppendix 1 provides an overview of the current provision of outdoor pitches inMoray. The overview provides a summary of the condition of each pitch. Thecondition survey were undertaken by the Council’s Lands and Parks Section.

2.2 Analysis of General Pitch ConditionBy adopting sportscotland’s grading system for natural grass and synthetic turfpitches, the overall condition of Moray’s pitches appears to be significantly better incomparison to the overall pitch condition in Scotland as a whole.

Of the 56 natural grass pitches surveyed, 23 (41 per cent) were deemed to beadequate. This compares to only 17 per cent of the pitches assessed as part of theNational Audit of Scotland’s Sports Facilities4. Nevertheless, in relation to Moray’s 8 3 Although in this context ‘environmental’ relates to social, cultural and technological trends, climatechange is also relevant. For example, during the winter of 2007, the UK had 434mm of rainfall-31 percent more than average. Wetter weather will impact on the ‘playability’ of pitches.4 ‘National Audit of Scotland’s Sports Facilities, sportscotland, pub 2006, p 13.

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secondary school pitches, only the 2 pitches at Elgin Academy and the pitch atMilne’s High School were considered to be adequate. None of the 6 other secondaryschool pitches was deemed ‘fit for purpose’. Over-use has undermined the durabilityof the playing surfaces and this has been further exasperated at Keith GrammarSchool and Lossiemouth High School by inadequate drainage.

Although not surveyed, an additional 2 grass football pitches have been agreed to beprovided by Springfield Properties Ltd. The pitches are located within the vicinity ofThornhill Road, Elgin, and will be provided as a developer contribution in associationwith Elgin South housing development.

Currently, 3 synthetic turf pitches are located in the Moray area. These pitches arelocated at the two local RAF stations (Kinloss and Lossiemouth) and at GordounstounSchool. Although the condition of these pitches is reported to be adequate, they areprivately owned and allow only for limited community access. There are no syntheticturf pitches within the area under Council ownership.

2.3 Demand for PitchesAs indicated by Appendix 1, the provision of natural grass pitches is extensivethroughout Moray. There is, however, a significant level of dissatisfaction expressedby both School PE staff and representatives of local football, rugby and hockey clubs,at the condition of Council operated pitches.

This section will examine the current and future demand for pitches by each sport andby Secondary Schools.

2.4 Demand for Football PitchesThe overwhelming use of pitches in the Moray area is for football.

The Scottish Football Association (North Section) estimates that there are currently269 youth and adult teams operating in Moray and a total of 3,742 players. Bookingsare primarily made by the Boys’ League, Welfare League, Scottish Junior League(SJFA) and the Soccer 7’s League for pitches in Buckie (Linzee Gordon and MersonParks), Cullen (Logie Park), Elgin (Deanshaugh, Dovecot Park and Pinefield), Forres(Roysvale and Grant Park), Keith (Fife and Seafield Parks), Lossiemouth(Coulardbank Park) and Rothes (Recreation Park)5.

The Council’s sports facilities team maintains records of bookings. An analysis of thebookings for 2006 reveals that usage is predominately in the evenings and weekendsand solely for league and training purposes (as opposed to bookings for casual use).For the pitches mentioned above, it has been estimated that over 960 bookings aremade each year. This equates to an average of 80 matches or training sessions on eachof the above pitches per year.

The ‘over use’ of these pitches, and the significant impact this has on their condition,is clearly a major factor in the dissatisfaction expressed by the Clubs. As succinctly

5 This figure excludes pupils who play football as part of their PE curriculum or as an extra-curricularactivity organised through their school.

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stated by one Principal Teacher for PE, “with over 70 odd fixtures a year at thisground, no grass football pitch could ever absorb this level of play”.

New health and safety standards stipulated by the Scottish Junior Football Association(SJFA), for all affiliated Clubs, is also having a direct impact on Bishopmill United,Lossiemouth United, Fochabers FC and New Elgin Football Clubs and the respectivegrounds that they use. Appendix 2 provides an outline of the SJFA requirements. Inessence, the new standards require the provision of adequate changing facilities andfencing to enclose the pitches at Deanshaugh, Coulardbank Park, Fochabers andPinefield Playing fields. Failure to meet this requirement will carry the risk that theClubs in question will be expelled from the SJFA League in 2008.

Elgin City Football Club also wishes to develop a synthetic turf football pitch as partof their Club’s facilities. This would not only be a facility for club training purposesbut would also be a facility shared with approximately 100 young people aged 9 to 19who take part in matches organised through the Elgin District Soccer 6’s Association.

Key Finding: the demand for quality football pitches far exceeds the supply inMoray. Furthermore, Clubs affiliated to the SJFA will require to enclose the pitchesthey use if they wish to continue to play in the league.

2.5 Demand for Hockey PitchesQuasar Hockey Club, Moray Hockey Club and the Moray Hockey DevelopmentGroup represent the interests of an estimated 200 club members at under-14, under-16, under-18, senior ladies and men’s stages of the sport. Members play at bothcompetition league and recreational levels6.

Appendix 1 identifies 6 natural grass pitches for hockey located at Speyside HighSchool, Elgin High School, Elgin Academy, Milne’s High School, Keith GrammarSchool, Lossiemouth High School (Coulardbank Park) and second generationsynthetic turf pitches at Gordonstoun School and RAF Kinloss. Although there issome dissatisfaction expressed in relation to the condition of some of these grasspitches, perhaps a more pressing issue is the availability afforded to clubs in gainingaccess to the synthetic turf pitches at RAF Kinloss and Gordonstoun School.

As noted by the Head Coach of Quasar Hockey Club, this is a significant issue sincecurrently, “we play at national league level. Eventually, we may be required to playonly on water or sand filled pitches if we gain promotion to a higher league”.

Key Finding: the supply of grass hockey pitches is considered to be adequate to meetthe basic development needs of hockey in Moray. Nevertheless, at club competitionlevel, hockey is increasingly played on 2nd generation water filled or sand-dressedpitches. With restricted access to the existing pitches at Gordonstoun and RAFKinloss, there is a need to develop an additional competition standard, synthetic turfpitch in the Moray area for hockey.

2.6 Demand for Cricket Pitches 6 This figure excludes pupils who play hockey as part of their PE curriculum or as an extra-curricularactivity organised through their school.

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Until recently, cricket in Scotland had a relatively low profile. In contrast, cricket inMoray has, for many years, had a strong following with a very proactive MorayCricket Association in operation. There are 6 senior teams that compete in the Northof Scotland Cricket Association League with approximately 150 to 200 members7. Inaddition, there is also a 6-a-side junior league affiliated with these clubs.

Cricket grounds at Buckie (Linzee Gordon Park), Gordonstoun, Elgin (Cooper Park),Forres (Grant Park), RAF Kinloss, RAF Lossiemouth, Fochabers, Keith (Fife Park)are aligned with each respective Club. Although the up-keep of pavilions and the on-going maintenance of pitches will continue to place financial pressure on each club,the supply of pitches is considered adequate to meet demand. Local clubs, CricketScotland and the Council’s sports development team are, nevertheless, keen to investin the future development of cricket in the area.

Within the Moray Cricket Association’s development plan, one of the problems statedis a lack of coaching facilities. Over the last 5 years, junior development and districtsquad coaching programmes have resulted in an increase in the number of juniorparticipants coming through the coaching programme. The lack of indoor and outdoorpractice nets has, nonetheless, inhibited the future development of more talentedyoungsters currently playing at junior league level.

A solution to this problem would be to create a dedicated centre for cricket. Thiswould provide a facility for suitable indoor and outdoor coaching. This centre wouldthen act as a satellite site for the Caledonian Cricket Academy. This is a key strategicobjective of Cricket Scotland. The requirements for this centre of excellence wouldinclude 2 indoor nets, storage, mats and trolleys, 2 outdoor nets and an artificialwicket.

Key Finding: the supply of cricket pitches is considered to be adequate to meet thedemand for senior and junior cricket in Moray. The provision of indoor and outdoorpractice nets would, however, contribute to the further development of the sport atboth grassroots and club league levels.

2.7 Demand for Rugby PitchesRugby pitches are located at Elgin (Morriston Playing Field), Gordonstoun School,RAF Kinloss and RAF Lossiemouth. In addition rugby training and touch rugby alsotakes place at Buckie (Linzee Gordon Park). The current number of rugby players inMoray, at junior and senior levels, is in the region of just over 300 participants8.

In recent years, rugby in Moray has experienced a growing resurgence after a numberof years of relative decline. Recently, a new club has been set up in Buckie and a newyouth team is expected to join the league for Moray in season 2007/08.

Presently, the supply of pitches is considered adequate to meet current demand,although the requirement for a set of rugby posts in the Buckie area is considered apriority. 7 This figure excludes pupils who play cricket as part of their PE curriculum or as an extra-curricularactivity organised through their school.8 This figure excludes pupils who play rugby as part of their PE curriculum or as an extra-curricularactivity organised through their school.

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Morriston Playing Fields, the home of the largest rugby club in the area, isnevertheless, in poor condition. This is due to the ‘overuse’ of the often water-loggedpitch for training and matches. The provision of a third generation, multi-purposesynthetic turf pitch in the Elgin area could, however, be used for training and touchrugby purposes. This would, in turn, relieve the pressure and improve the condition ofthe pitch at Morriston Playing Fields. Similarly, this synthetic turf pitch could also beaccessed by Elgin Boys’ Football Club, who also play at Morriston.

Key Finding: the supply of rugby pitches is presently considered to be adequate tomeet demand although Morriston Playing Field is often in poor condition. Theprovision of a third generation synthetic turf pitch could, however, relieve demandand improve the condition of the Morriston rugby pitch. There is also the need toerect a set of rugby posts in the Buckie area as the focus of local rugby development.

2.8 Demand by Schoolssportscotland recommend that every secondary school in Scotland should have accessto one or more synthetic turf pitches in addition to grass playing fields. This wouldsignificantly contribute to schools achieving the recommended two hours of core PEper week. For secondary schools, synthetic turf pitches are increasingly considered anintegral element of the school estate since they are able to cope with the high levels ofintensive use that the school PE curriculum now demands. The pitches also have theadded benefit of providing a playing surface that is not weather sensitive.

Presently, none of the 8 secondary and 46 primary schools in the Moray area hasaccess to a synthetic turf pitch for PE. Nevertheless, questionnaires completed by thePrincipal Teachers of PE and Active School Co-ordinators at each of the secondaryschools revealed unanimous support for the provision of such facilities. It was notedthat synthetic turf pitches would be used for the delivery of a broad range of sportsincluding athletics, football, touch rugby and hockey as part of the PE curriculum andActive School’s programme. The proposed usage is consistent with the nationalcurriculum guidance for the delivery of a balanced programme of PE. As one PEteacher put it, “I need a surface for all types of activity at recreational to advancedlevels of performance.”

While it may be impossible to provide a playing surface that equally meets all of thesediffering sport and recreational needs, it is evident that PE professionals arecollectively asking for a multi-purpose surface material.

School demand for pitches and changing facilities is not surprisingly concentratedprimarily around the school day of 9am to 4pm. As with other local authorities, it isclear that these peak usage times dovetail neatly with the hours when the communitywould be looking to use these facilities (i.e. 5pm to 9.30pm). It is evident that this is afuture opportunity to ensure best value of Council facilities

In addition to the evidence of need for the provision of multi-purpose synthetic turfpitches amongst PE staff, Active Schools Co-ordinators focus a significant amount oftheir efforts on sports that require outdoor pitches, specifically rugby, football andhockey. Current feedback, particularly in the secondary school sector, reveals that thelack of access to good quality outdoor facilities is a major impairment to their efforts

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to increase the amount of outdoor sports activity undertaken by children and youngpeople. One of the priority areas identified for development in Moray, for example, isthe expansion of the ‘school-to-community club links’. The increase in activity levels,through this aspect of Active Schools, will place additional pressure on sports facilityand in particular outdoor pitches in Moray.

If Active Schools is to continue to develop and expand, demand for quality outdoorpitches will soon outstrip supply, as it has already done with the PE curriculum.Active Schools staff, nevertheless, point out that while activity levels are improving,they are not at the level they should be for general health improvement. There istherefore a clear need expressed by Active Schools staff for the provision of syntheticturf pitches designed not only to withstand intense usage but also suitable for multi-sport use.

Key finding: PE teachers and Active School Co-ordinators need access to multi-sportsynthetic turf pitches for the delivery of a high quality PE curriculum and an ActiveSchools Programme. With demand for these facilities is predominately during theschool day, there is the potential that pitches and changing facilities can be sharedwith the community who need and could use these facilities outwith school hours.

2.9 Pavilions and Changing FacilitiesAppendix 3 provides an overview of the current provision of Council-run pavilions.The overview provides a summary of the condition of each pavilion. The conditionssurvey was undertaken by the Council’s Property Services Department.

2.10 Analysis of the General Pavilion ConditionBy adopting sportscotland’s grading system for outdoor facilities, the overallcondition of the Council’s pavilions appears to be in better condition compared to theoverall picture of pavilions in Scotland as a whole.

Regardless of the age or the type of construction, none of the 15 pavilions surveyedwas considered to be in a satisfactory standard (grade 5). Nevertheless, none of thepavilions had deteriorated to the extent that they required immediate replacement(grade 1). This is in the context where, according to sportscotland, 21% of all ofScotland’s local authority pavilions have now deteriorated beyond the point of repair9.

If the Council intends to ensure that these pavilions are maintained to their originalstate, Property Services have calculated that this will cost an estimated £133,560 overthe 5-year period of this strategy.

It should also be noted that Springfield Properties PLC has agreed to provide achanging pavilion as part of the Elgin South Housing Development, in the vicinity ofThornhill Road. This complements the provision of the 2 grass pitches mentioned insection 2.2. The timescale of the ‘gifting’ of the pavilion is not yet known since this istriggered when a specified number of houses have been built on site by the developer.It is not therefore included in the audit.

2.11 Demand for Pavilions 9 ‘National Audit of Scotland’s Sports Facilities, sportscotland, pub 2006, p 33.

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In general pavilions are located in the vicinity of the pitch areas identified inAppendix 1. Nonetheless, not all of the pitches have pavilions located nearby. Pitchesat Merson Park (Buckie), Buckie High School, Speyside High School (Aberlour) andKeith Community High School do not have purpose built changing facilities whichare accessible to the community. In line with the previous key finding for secondaryschool pitches (see paragraph 2.8), it is evident that there is scope to investigatesharing school changing facilities with the local community -outwith school hours-for pitches located at schools but lacking community changing facilities. Conversely,Anderson’s Primary School (Forres), does not have access to changing facilities. TheGrant Park Pavilion Committee has, however, agreed in principle to allow access tothe changing rooms at the new proposed Grant Park Pavilion, when built10. It shouldalso be noted that the new Grant Park pavilion will provide a very much neededfacility for over 300 children who play as part of the Forres Soccer 7’s League.

In relation to the SJFA health and safety standards affecting Bishopmill United,Lossiemouth United, Fochabers FC and New Elgin Football Clubs, it is also arequirement that these Clubs provide access to adequate changing facilities for bothplayers and officials. As noted in Appendix 3, only the pavilions at Deanshaugh andCoulardbank Park would meet the requirement of having their own separate referees’changing facilities. Nevertheless, all of the Clubs have been advised that continuedmembership of the league, post 2008, will require that they have exclusive access totheir own pavilions and changing facilities.

Key finding: where pitches are located within secondary school grounds, there isscope to allow the community to have access to these facilities outwith school hours.To ensure sports clubs continue to have access to changing pavilions, Moray Councilwill require to spend £133,560 over the next 5 years in their general upkeep. Councilwill also require to provide consultation support to local football clubs affected by thenew SJFA pavilions requirements if these Clubs are to continue to play in this league.

2.12 Summary of Audit FindingsFor each of the sports covered by this audit, this section has identified the followingkey findings.Sport Key FindingsCricket • The supply of cricket pitches is considered to be adequate.

• The provision of indoor and outdoor practice nets would,however, contribute to the further development of senior andjunior cricket in Moray.

Football • The demand for quality football pitches exceeds supply and thecondition of many pitches is poor.

• For SJFA affiliated clubs, changing facilities need to bebrought up to a higher standard and pitches need to beenclosed to meet new health and safety requirements.

Hockey • The supply of grass hockey pitches is considered to beadequate for grassroots development needs.

• There is, however, the need for an additional 2nd generationsand-dressed or water-filled synthetic turf pitch for club league

10 In June 2007, sportscotland awarded grant assistance of £200,000 towards the construction costs ofthis community facility that will be managed by the Grant Park Pavilion Committee.

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matches in Moray.Rugby • Although there is the need to erect a set of rugby posts in the

Buckie area for the further development of this sport, thesupply of rugby pitches is presently considered to be adequate.

• The provision of a 3rd generation synthetic turf pitch fortraining would, however, relieve pressure and improve thecondition of Morriston Playing Field.

Multi-sportschool use

• As a response to the increasing importance placed on physicalactivity as part of the school curriculum, PE teachers andactive school co-ordinators need access to multi-sport syntheticturf pitches for the future delivery of a high quality PEcurriculum and an Active Schools Programme.

• With schools predominantly accessing changing facilities andpitches during the daytime, there is the potential to providedual-purpose facilities that can be shared with the communitywho could access these facilities out-with school hours.

These are the issues that will need to be addressed in the following section indeveloping a pitch strategy for Moray.

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3.0 A Pitch Strategy for Moray: The Future State of PlayThis section will outline the formulation of a strategy for addressing the issuespertaining to each sport, identified as key findings in the previous section.

3.1 Strategy FormulationBased on the key findings of the audit, it is evident that the community needs of thosewho participate in rugby, football and hockey are not entirely exclusive to one anotheror, indeed, the needs of the secondary schools in delivering a broad-based curricularand extra-curricular sports programme. There would therefore be scope for clubs andschools to share facilities.

To this end, and in the interests of ensuring best value, the underpinning rationale forthis strategy is, wherever appropriate, to provide facilities that can be shared by bothschools and the local community.

The synthetic turf pitches proposed for development will therefore be dual-purposefacilities. In line with the key findings, this will mean that the pitches and theirassociated changing facilities will be accessed by schools predominantly duringweekdays and by the community during weekends and evenings.

It is therefore proposed to develop a total of 6 synthetic turf pitches at Keith GrammarSchool, Speyside Community High School, Buckie Community High School, ElginAcademy, Forres Academy and Elgin High School. This will mean, that within the 5-year time frame of this plan, 6 out of 8 of Moray’s secondary schools would haveaccess to a synthetic turf pitch.

The proposed pitch locations have also been strategically selected on the basis ofoptimising community access thereby allowing an estimated 98% of the population ofMoray to be within an immediate 10mile catchment area of a synthetic turf pitch. Theonly major population centre that would fall outwith this area would be Tomintoul(pop 322) which would be 22 miles from the nearest pitch at Aberlour.

Diagram 1 illustrates the immediate 10mile catchment area for each proposed pitchdevelopment.

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In line with the key findings, each synthetic turf carpet material will be required tosupport PE and Active Schools’ staff in delivering a broad range of sporting activities.The audit also highlighted the acute under-supply of quality football pitches.Although there are three main different types of synthetic carpet surface material, andwhile all may be used for more than one sport, none is suitable for all.

Table 1 illustrates the most suitable type of synthetic turf in relation to each sport.

Type of synthetic turf materialSport 3rd Generation

(long pile)2nd Generation(sand dressed)

2nd Generation(water based)

Football(11 a-side)

1 3 3

Football(5 a-side)

1 3 3

Rugby 1 4 4Hockey 3 1 1Tennis 4 2 4Netball 4 2 4Rounders 2 2 2Lacrosse 2 2 2AmericanFootball

2 3 2

AthleticsTraining (notfield events)

2 2 2

1=Recommeded 2=Suitable 3=Basic Level/Training only 4=Not suitable

From this table it is clear that both 2nd generation and 3rd generation type pitches canbe used for a broad range of sports including football and hockey. Nevertheless,although suitable for training purposes, competition league hockey can only be playedto a basic/training level on a 3rd generation pitch. Conversely, a 2nd generation pitchwill only be suitable for football at a basic training level.

With a ratio of approximately 20 footballers to every 1 hockey player in Moray it isproposed that 5 of the 6 pitches at Keith, Aberlour, Forres, Buckie and the RegionalSports Facility in Elgin will have a 3rd generation carpet installed (certified to a FIFA2 star standard). In light of the audit findings for the need of a pitch for competitiveleague hockey, it is however proposed that the synthetic turf pitch at Elgin Academywill have a 2nd generation sand dressed carpet installed.

It is important to note that all of the 3rd generation pitches should not only facilitate 5a-side and 11 a-side football but will also be equipped with hockey goals andmarkings in line with the audit’s key findings to support multi-sport use. Furthermore,since one of the key benefits of a synthetic turf pitch is that the surface material canendure 20 to 30 times more play compared to a natural grass pitch this will have twomain benefits.

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First of all, the provision of synthetic turf pitches will provide a strong foundation forincreasing the number and frequency-use of people who participate in a range of pitchsport, at all levels and ages, throughout Moray. Secondly, the development of thesynthetic turf pitches will have a knock on effect by reducing the demand on Moray’soverused natural grass pitches. It is therefore a reasonable expectation that Moray’sportfolio of natural grass pitches will therefore be in a better, more playable conditionwith the development of the proposed synthetic turf pitches.

The above information is integral to the development of the objectives and strategiesoutlined in the following section.

3.2 Strategy ImplementationThis section will outline the 5 objectives that were identified by the audit andstrategies for their realisation.

Objective 1

Issue to be addressed: For SJFA affiliated clubs, changing facilities need to bebrought up to a higher standard and pitches need to be enclosed to meet new healthand safety requirements. Elgin City also wish to develop a synthetic turf pitch as partof their Club facilities.

Objective 1:To improve the standard of football pavilions and pitches used byBishopmill United, Fochabers FC, Lossiemouth United, New Elgin FC and Elgin CityFC by 2009.

Rationale: The Moray Council has agreed, in principle, to support Bishopmill United,Lossiemouth United and New Elgin FC in their proposals to fence pitches and thedevelopment of changing facilities at each respective site in line with SJFArequirements. Council has also agreed to support Elgin City FC in progressing theirplans for a synthetic turf pitch as part of their Club facilities.

These proposals are, however, subject to securing a lease agreement providingsecurity of tenure for the ground in question. This in turn requires the Council tosubmit an application to the Sheriff Court/Court of Session. Unfortunately, the legalcosts associated with such applications vary considerably and depend on the numberand type of objections received. In essence, the fewer and more straightforward theobjections the less the cost. The Clubs in question would therefore not only berequired to cover the capital costs of each pitch and pavilion development but wouldalso meet any legal costs incurred.

Based on advice from the Council’s Legal Department, it is proposed that it would beworthwhile to undertake a community consultation exercise as a means ofascertaining likely objections and a better assessment of the costs in pursuing a futureapplication to the Sheriff Court/Court of Session. The Council has agreed to facilitatethe community consultation exercise and to meet these costs for Bishopmill United,Lossiemouth United, New Elgin FC, and Elgin City FC.

Milestones: To achieve this objective will require the Clubs in question to work inpartnership with Council Officers. Neither the community consultation exercise nor

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the application to the Sheriff Court/Court of Session can be progressed until Clubshave submitted their development proposals to the Council.

• Submission of development proposals from Clubs which are self-financing• Community consultation undertaken by Council Officers• Submission to Sheriff Court/Court of Session for security of tenure• Planning Permission secured• Construction Phase commences

Cost Estimate: In the absence of Club development proposals, the construction costsfor each of these projects is not known at the time of preparing this strategy. The legalfees associated with the application to the Sheriff Court/Court of Session for eachClub have been estimated in the region of £4,000 to £30,000. In achieving thisobjective, there will be no financial implications for the Council.

Objective 2Issue to be addressed: With restricted access to the existing pitches at Gordonstounand RAF Kinloss, there is a need to develop an additional 2nd generation competitionstandard, synthetic turf pitch in the Moray area specifically for hockey.

Objective 2: To develop a ‘hockey centre of excellence’, featuring a second-generation synthetic turf pitch, as part of the enhanced sports facility at ElginAcademy by 2012.

Rationale: the enhanced sports facilities at Elgin Academy are fully integrated as partof the PPP initiative for two secondary schools in Elgin. In addition, to an extensiverange of indoor facilities, including an indoor hockey pitch (Unihoc), the proposalalso incorporates a 2nd generation pitch (approx 65m x 100m) specifically for hockeybut also suitable for football at a basic/training level (see table 1). The facility willincorporate team huts, flood lighting and fencing.

This will be a dual-purpose facility. Elgin Academy will access the pitch andassociated facilities during the daytime and the community will have access to thesefacilities outwith school hours.

Catchment Area: By 2012, the pupil school roll for Elgin Academy is forecast to be957.11 Since this facility is for the whole of Moray, it will cover a total populationcatchment area of 86,940 (2001 Census for Moray) of which approximately 200 areaffiliated to Clubs.

Milestones: At the time of developing this strategy, the revised outline business casefor both secondary schools is still under consideration by the Scottish Executive. Atimescale for this project has still to be confirmed.

Cost Estimate: The cost of the 2nd generation pitch and ‘hockey centre of excellence’has been estimated as £400,000 (subject to confirmation). It is proposed that thisproject will be part funded through the PPP scheme and through securingsportscotland grant assistance of £160,000 (40%) towards the cost of this facility.

11 ‘2005-Based School Roll Forecasts’, The Moray Council, pub 2006.

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Objective 3Issue to be addressed: The further development of cricket, at grassroots and clubleague levels, is being curtailed due to the inadequate provision of indoor and outdoorpractice nets.

Objective 3: To provide indoor cricket practice nets, as part of the Moray RegionalSports Facility and as part of the Caledonian Cricket Academy by 2012.

Rationale: The Moray Regional Sports Facility will be located at Elgin High Schooland will form part of the two secondary schools PPP initiative for Elgin. Theproposed range of indoor facilities is extensive and will also incorporate a satellitecricket centre for the Caledonian Cricket Academy. This will provide a facilitysuitable for indoor and outdoor coaching. The centre will be shared with local cricketclubs and will consist of 2 indoor nets, storage, mats and trolleys. The outdoor facilitywill consist of 2 outdoor nets and an artificial wicket.

Catchment Area: By 2012, the pupil school roll for Elgin High School is forecast tobe 638.12 Since this facility is for the whole of Moray, it will cover a total populationcatchment area of 86,940 (2001 Census for Moray) of which there are 6 senior teamsin the North of Scotland Cricket Association League with a 6-a-side junior leagueaffiliated with these clubs.

Milestones: At the time of developing this strategy, the revised outline business casefor both secondary schools is still under consideration by the Scottish Executive.

• A Stage 2 funding application for £1,200,000 has been submitted to sportscotland.An outcome of this application is anticipated by January 2008.

• A timescale for this project has still to be confirmed.

Cost Estimate: The Regional Sports Facility is a PPP initiative, which it is alsoproposed will receive £1,250,000 from the Council’s Leisure and Healthy LivingProgramme. Following the submission of a grant application to sportscotland, it isalso the intention to secure grant assistance of £1,200,000 from this source (subject toconfirmation). The cost of the cricket facility is an estimated £44,200 and will be partfunded by the Moray Cricket Association.

Objective 4Issue to be addressed: The demand for quality football pitches far exceeds thesupply of facilities in Moray. PE teachers and active school co-ordinators also needaccess to multi-sport synthetic turf pitches for the future delivery of a high quality PEcurriculum and extra curricular activities.

Objective 4: To develop five 3rd generation synthetic turf pitches, and associatedchanging facilities, at Buckie, Keith, Speyside, Forres Secondary Schools and ElginHigh School (part of the Regional Sport Facility) by 2012.

12 ‘2005-Based School Roll Forecasts’, The Moray Council, pub 2006.

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Rationale: As noted under the strategy formulation section (see section 3.1), theproposed pitches are designed for dual purpose use (i.e. access for both communityand schools users) and will be installed with a 3rd generation carpet material suitablefor multi-sport use and, in particular, football.

A specialist consultant has been appointed to assist in progressing each of these pitchdevelopments. Consequently, as a result of comprehensive site investigations, draftperformance specifications (for a design and build option) have now been preparedfor each of the proposed facilities (except for the Regional Sports Facility, which issubject to PPP guidelines/procedures).

In light of the substantial capital investment in developing these synthetic turf pitchesand associated changing facilities, it is proposed to stagger their development over the5 -year time frame of this strategy. It is therefore the intention to develop the syntheticturf pitches for the Buckie and Aberlour areas in the period 2007/08-2008/09 and thepitches at Keith, Forres and Elgin High School/Regional Sports Facility by 2010/11-2011/12.

Catchment Area: Since the 5 synthetic turf pitches will cover the whole of Moray, itwill cover a total population catchment area of 86,940 (2001 Census for Moray). Asnoted, 98% of the population will be in an immediate 10-mile catchment area of asynthetic turf pitch. This represents 85,537 of the population of Moray (2001 Censusfor Moray).

Each pitch development will also serve each respective secondary school. Thefollowing school rolls are based on the forecasted figures for 2012.

Buckie Community High School (841), Speyside Community High School (Aberlour)(472), Keith Grammar School (472), Forres Academy (940), Elgin HighSchool/Regional Sports Facility (638)13.

Milestones: To achieve this objective will require that the following milestones bereached. Please note that the dates are for guidance purposes only and subject toconfirmation.

• Appointment of Consultant (complete)• Site investigations undertaken by consultant (complete)• Consultation with relevant community stakeholders and clubs (ongoing)• Performance specifications for a design and build option created (draft complete)

Buckie and Aberlour Pitches• Submission of Planning Consent applicants(July 2008)• Submission of Stage 1 application to sportscotland for the Buckie synthetic pitch

(August 2007)• Submission of the Stage 2 Application to sportscotland for the Buckie pitch

(November 2007)• Tenders for Buckie and Aberlour pitches received (February 2008).

13 ‘2005-Based School Roll Forecasts’, The Moray Council, pub 2006.

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• Construction of Buckie and Aberlour Synthetic Turf Pitches Commences (June2008)Keith and Forres Pitches

• Further community consultation exercise undertaken (June 2008)• Application to Sheriff Court/Court of Session for Forres-if applicable and status

subject to confirmation (September 2008).• Submission of Planning Consent Applicants (June 2008)• Tenders for Forres and Keith pitches received (March 2009).• Construction of Forres and Keith Synthetic Turf Pitches commences (June 2009)

Subject to confirmation, the timescale for the completion of the construction phase ofthe Elgin High School/ Regional Sports Facility to thought to be 2012.

Cost Estimate: Each pitch has been estimated as costing in the region of £400,000.Up-grading and providing changing facilities that are suitable for being madeaccessible to the local community have been estimated as costing in the region of£100,000.

As noted above, it is the intention to secure sportscotland grant assistance of £160,000(40%) for the cost of developing the Buckie synthetic turf pitch project in 2007/08.

Objective 5Issues to be addressed: The Council’s portfolio of pavilions and natural grass pitchesare made accessible to the community at an adequate standard. Ensure the newpavilion and grass pitches at Thornhill Road, Elgin and the proposed 6 synthetic turfpitches are adequately maintained and to erect a set of rugby posts in the Buckie area.

Objective 5: To adequately maintain a portfolio of existing and new pavilions, naturalgrass and synthetic turf pitches at various locations throughout Moray and to erect aset of rugby posts in the playing fields at Buckie Community High School.

Rationale: the provision of quality pitches and changing facilities does not stop withtheir installation. To ensure that facilities retain as much as their value as possible, itis necessary that they remain adequately maintained.

This, in turn, necessitates that an appropriate maintenance cycle is in place for naturalgrass pitches, pavilions and that a maintenance model is adopted for the new syntheticturf pitches.

While maintenance of a synthetic turf pitch is relatively straight forward, neglectingto develop and implement a cycle will have serious long term consequences and willshorten the 10 to 15 year life cycle of the carpet. The major tasks will be mechanicallybrushing the carpet fibres on a weekly basis and replacing and topping up the rubberinfill particles on a daily basis. Leaves, litter and debris will also have to be removedfrom the playing surface regularly.

On an annual basis, it has been recommended that an external vendor is contracted torevitalise and thoroughly clean the pitch to help ensure the pitch retains its value.

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If the daily maintenance tasks can be absorbed by school janitorial staff and theweekly brushing of the pitch fibres can be incorporated within the work load of theCouncil’s Lands and Parks Section this will significantly reduce the ongoing runningcosts. The only other major expenses will, therefore, be the ‘one-off’ purchase of asmall ground maintenance tractor, with a rotary grooming brush (estimated as£20,000), and the annual cost of a contractor to clean the carpet. This could cost in theregion of £20,000 for 4 pitches each year. Please note that the two PPP related pitcheswill require to have separate maintenance arrangements in place.

Milestones: the major milestone for this objective relates to developing amaintenance schedule for the new synthetic turf pitches. It is the intention that thiswill be in place prior to construction having commenced on the first synthetic turfpitch in June 2008.

Subject to consultation with Buckie Community High School and Active Schools’staff it is proposed to erect rugby posts in the grounds of Buckie Community HighSchool by December 2007.

Cost Estimate: For Council properties it is estimated that £133,560 will require to bespent over the next 5 years for the maintenance and general up-keep of Council-owned pavilions.

For pitches on Council sites, it is estimated that the maintenance cycle of grass cuttingscarifying, spiking, re-seeding and line marking will cost annually (including labour)£2,000 per full-sized pitch and £1,200 for a 7-a-side pitch. For Council pitches, thiswould represent a cost of £475,000 over the 5-year period of this strategy.

For the 4 synthetic turf pitches (excluding the PPP related pitches), the major cost willbe the purchase of a ground maintenance tractor (£20,000) and annual revitalising ofthe pitch carpets at £20,000 per year. The synthetic turf maintenance costs over the 5-year period of this plan have been estimated in the region of £120,000 (excludinglabour).

The cost of a set of rugby posts has been quoted in the region of £1,500. (please notethis excludes the delivery and installation costs).

3.3 Summary: Partner Funding TableThe following table provides a summary of who will be the lead partner and theproposed sources of funding in relation to the above objectives.

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Sources of Funding

Objective

Lea

d Pa

rtne

r

Cou

ncil

PPP

Clu

b(o

wn

fun

ds)

Spor

tsco

tland

Oth

er e

xter

nal

fund

ing

1. To improve the standard of footballpavilions and pitches used by BishopmillUnited, Fochabers FC, LossiemouthUnited, New Elgin FC and Elgin City FCby 2009.

Clubs Tbc

2. To develop a ‘hockey centre ofexcellence’, featuring a 2nd generationsynthetic turf pitch, as part of theenhanced sports facility at ElginAcademy by 2012.

Council

3. To provide indoor practice nets, as partof the Moray Regional Sports Facility andas part of the Caledonian CricketAcademy by 2012.

CouncilandMorayCricketAssoc

4.To develop five 3rd generation syntheticturf pitches, and associated changingfacilities, at Buckie, Keith, Speyside,Forres Community Secondary Schoolsand Elgin Community High School (aspart of the Regional Sports Facility) by2012.

Council

5.To adequately maintain the currentportfolio of existing and new pavilions,natural grass and synthetic turf pitches atvarious locations throughout Moray andto erect a set of rugby posts in the playingfields at Buckie Community High School.

Council

Notes

= Council has agreed to meet the costs of undertaking a community consultationexercise as a preparatory step in submitting an application to the Sheriff Court/Courtof Session (excluding Fochabers FC).

= While Council is the lead partner, it is proposed that the Moray CricketAssociation will contribute towards the £44,200 costs in developing the cricketelement of this project.

= Elgin Community High School (Moray Regional Sports Facility) and ElginAcademy projects only.

=Over the 5-year period of this plan, it is proposed to submit applications for 40 percent of the cost in installing the Buckie synthetic turf pitch (2007/2008) and 40 percent of the cost in installing the synthetic turf pitch at Elgin Academy.

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4.0 ConclusionWithout the commitment to provide modern and accessible outdoor sports facilities inMoray, the opportunities to participate in the pathway from grassroots involvement insport to participation at an elite level will be severely undermined.

With a commitment to this strategy, more people of all ages, will have the opportunityto participate and excel in team sports than ever before. As articulated in the PhysicalActivity, Sport and Health Strategy, this will result in more people ‘living active livesand improving their health and well-being through physical activity and sport’.

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Appendix 1: Summary of Pitch Condition SurveyPitch Use Owner Condition Comment Grading

AberlourSpeyside HS (3) F,H Council Prone to being water-logged. 2

BuckieMerson Park (2) F Council Pitch 1: Good condition.

Pitch 2: Poor.32

Buckie HS F Council Poor drainage. 2Portessie F Council Poor condition due to over-use 2Linzee Gordon(2)

C,F,R

Council Good condition, however, severedrainage problem at pavilion car park.

2

BurgheadBurghead F Council Over-used and poor car parking. 2

CullenLogie Park F Council Good condition but sloping ground on

field margins.3

DufftownMortlach School F Council Poor drainage. 3

DuffusDuffus PlayingField (2 )

F Council Poor drainage. 2

GordonstounSchool

C,R,F,H

Private Restricted access.(2nd generation synthetic turf pitch)

Elgin AreaBorough Briggs F Council Poor drainage/within flood alleviation

area.1

Deanshaugh (3) F Council Currently being renovated. TbcDovecot Park F Council Poor drainage. 1Thornhill Road(2)

F Council 2 pitches under development. Tbc

Pinefield F Council Damage due to overuse. 2Mosstowie F Council Over-used, 7 a-side only. 3Lhanbryde F Council Over-used. 3Seafield School F Council Over-used. 7 a-side only. 3West End F Council Over-used. 7 a-side only 2Morriston F,R Community Prone to flooding. Within the flood

alleviation area.1

Cooper Park C,F Council Within the flood alleviation area. Proneto over-use.

3

Elgin HighSchool (2)

H,F Council Location for PPP School. Synthetic turfpitch proposed.

2

Elgin Academy F,H Council Location for PPP School. Synthetic turfpitches proposed.

3

Forres AreaGrant Park (3) C,F Council 7-a-side pitches. 3Roysvale F Council Damaged due to over-use. 2RAF Kinloss C,R,F RAF Restricted access.

(2nd generation synthetic turf pitch)3

Forres Academy(2)

F Council Over-used. 2

FochabersMilne’s HighSchool (2)

F,H Council Good condition. 3

Cricket Ground C Community Good condition. Restricted access,private club.

3

FochabersPlaying Field

F Council Poor drainage 2

Hopeman

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HopemanPlaying Field

F Community Good condition, prone to over-use. 3

KeithFife Park (2) C Council Slight drainage problem, especially in

winter. In general, good condition.3

Newmill Park F Community Good condition, restricted access, proneto overuse.

3

Seafield Park F Council Showground area. Poor drainage. 1Keith GrammarSchool (2)

F,H Council Poor drainage in parts. 2

SimpsonMemorial Park

F Community Good condition though prone to drainageproblems.

3

KnockandoCardhuDistillery

F Community 7 a-side only. Over used. 2

KnockandoPlaying Field

F Community 7 a-side only. Over used. 2

LossiemouthCoulardbankPark

F,H Council Very poor drainage and over-played. 1

RAFLossiemouth

F,H,RF

RAF Restricted access.(2nd generation synthetic turf pitch.)

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MosstodlochMosstodlochPlaying Field

F Council Good condition, restricted access. 3

PortgordonPortgordonFootball Club

F Community Good condition, restricted access. 3

PortknockieMacleod Park(2)

F Council Good condition, restricted access. 3

RothesPublic Park F Council Subject to Flood Prevention Order. 3

TomintoulTomintoulSchool

F Council Good condition, restricted access. 3

UrquhartPublic Park F Community Over-used. Restricted access. 7 a-side

only.2

KeyGrading (based on sportscotland categories)

1=Requires refurbishment or replacing2=Requires rejuvenation/renovation/patching3=Adequate

C=Cricket F=Football H=Hockey R=Rugby

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Appendix 2: Scottish Junior Football Association Pitch and FacilitiesRequirements (Extract from SJFA Guidelines)

Item 5 states: -

“All new clubs making application for membership of the Scottish Junior FootballAssociation must have a ground complying with the following requirements:

a) Must be enclosed with a suitable fence to keep spectators from gainingentry to the ground without payment;

b) Must have a pavilion situated inside the ground and closely adjacent toplaying field with separate stripping accommodation for home and visitingteams and for match official, all with adequate toilet and washingfacilities.

c) The playing field must be properly fenced to keep spectators fromencroaching on the field;

d) Grounds and facilities must satisfy the inspection of the Scottish JuniorFootball Association. Ground inspection fee of £40 must accompanyapplication for membership and clubs will be responsible for expensesincurred for any further inspections required.”

Appendix 3: Summary of Pavilion Condition Survey

Facility Use Referees’ChangingRoom?

Number ofTeamChangingRooms

Estimatedrestorationcosts (for thenext 5 years)

Grading

BuckieLinzeeGordon ParkPavilion

C,F,R No 2 £5,250 4

CullenLogie ParkPavilion

F No 2 £10,350 3

ElginCooper ParkCricketPavilion

C,F No 2 £17,050 2

DeanshaughPavilion

F Yes 6 £4,450 4

Dovecot ParkPavilion

F No 2 £17,300 2

PinefieldPavilion

F No 2 £8,600 3*

FochabersFochabersPlaying FieldPavilion

F No 2 £5,550 3*

ForresChangingPavilion(Grant Park)

F N 2 £13,700 2*

Grant ParkPavilion

F Proposed new facility currently under development.

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RoysvalePavilion

F Yes 2 £8,830 3

KeithFife ParkPavilion

C,F No 2 £10,450 3

Seafield ParkPavilion

F No 2 £4,200 4

St RufusPavilion

? No 2 £13,500 3

LossiemouthCoulardbankPavilion

F Yes 4 £7,750 4

RothesFootballPavilion(Green St)

F No 2 £6,580 3

NB- All of the above pavilions are Council owned. Conditions surveys were notavaiable for pavilions owned by Clubs. The survey excludes the Ian Johnston ParkPavilion (Buckie), and the Station Park Pavilion (Lossiemouth) which are currentlynot in use.

KeyGrading (based on sportscotland categories)

1=Requires replacement2=Requires major refurbishment3=Requires moderate refurbishment4=Reqires minor refurbishment5=Satisfactory standard *= Asbestos present

C=Cricket F=Football H=Hockey R=Rugby