WOMEN’S football in Trowbridge looks set to get a boost from the town’s planned new all-weather pitch, say councillors planning the £7.5 million project.

Trowbridge has a thriving female footballing community with numerous girls’ and women’s teams and ‘Wildcats’ girls-only sessions as part of Active Trowbridge’s summer sports schools.

Councillor Mel Jacob, who chairs Trowbridge Town Council’s Working Party for the Doric Park Project, said the success of England’s Lionesses in the Women’s Euro championship final against Germany has inspired local clubs to recruit more girls into sport.

“Girls and boys all over the country have been inspired and it is at the grassroots where communities need investment to give the next generations of lions and lionesses a start.

“The new all-weather pitch will play a big part in providing what Trowbridge’s footballers need.”   

Trowbridge Town Council has been working on the Doric Park project since 2013. It would provide the town with a Football Foundation standard 3G artificial pitch as well as a building with changing rooms, showers, toilets, meeting room, and a strength and conditioning gym.

It would have access on a 99-year lease from the Trowbridge Rugby Football Club’s car park at Doric Park in Hilperton.

The project is set to be as environmentally-friendly as possible with a low-pollution playing surface (not rubber crumb) and solar panels included in the plans as well as additional planting to cater for wildlife.

Cllr Jacob added: “We know there are lots of football clubs and other users of the new facility who are excitedly anticipating the opening of the new pitch. 

“Officers have been working hard to develop business plans that will see loan repayments and running costs paid for by income from users of the facility.”    

The project will mostly be funded by grants from the Football Foundation and plans to take on a £3.9 million Government loan to be repaid over a 50-year period.

The council hopes to sign agreements with Wiltshire College & University Centre and local football clubs to use the new facility when it opens next year.  

To celebrate the Lionesses’ Euro win, Active Trowbridge is running a free girls-only soccer schools day on Thursday, August 25 at John of Gaunt School from 9am-3pm.

The sessions are tailored for all abilities and organisers will have a developmental group for girls who already play for local clubs.

The sessions will be led by the Bath City Ladies Manager and an Active Trowbridge coach.

To book, click here.