New pitches and plenty of fun as refurbished All-Weather Pitches open in Battersea Park

The all-weather sports ground is one of the latest sports facilities to be upgraded in Battersea Park, alongside the recently upgraded three-lane cricket nets.

The new and improved sports ground has been delivered through a £600,000 worth of contributions the council has collected from local developments and includes a transformation of the existing artificial turf pitches.

As well as the pitch being the home for West London hockey clubs, it is also open to the public to book for football, school sports and wider community sport. Old playing surfaces have been replaced with modern, high-performance systems designed to support intensive community use for years to come.

To celebrate the opening of the new and improved pitches, children from local schools gathered for a morning of activities such as American flag football with the BIGKID Foundation, cricket with Spencer Cricket and circus skills delivered by Leo’s Circus. All three organisations donated their time free of charge to help make the event a success.

The refurbishment further elevates the sports-filled offering of Battersea Park, sitting alongside the much-loved Millenium Arena & Gym, and recently upgraded cricket nets, which opened earlier this summer, providing residents with an enhanced space to practice and enjoy the sport.

With cricket season in full swing, the improved three-lane nets offer a high-quality, accessible training space for all, featuring enhanced surfacing, batting pad aggregate installation, shock pads, and new cage construction and netting.

Also paid for by contributions from local developments, the refurbished nets are set to be a hit across Wandsworth, supporting local cricket teams and enthusiasts to get their practice in.

Councillor Ethan Brooks, Cabinet Member for Environment at Wandsworth Council, who attended the event said:

"It's fantastic to see local schoolchildren enjoying these newly upgraded facilities in Battersea Park. These improvements will benefit residents of all ages, from young people taking part in school sport to community groups, footballers, hockey players and cricketers using the park throughout the year.

“Projects like these are helping to create more opportunities for people to be active, improve their wellbeing and enjoy high-quality sports facilities close to home, all at no additional cost to residents. Together, these upgrades strengthen Battersea Park's reputation as not only one of London's best green spaces, as proven by the recent Green Flag award, but a place to enjoy sport and exercise as well."

The all-weather pitches can be booked online by local clubs, community groups and residents, whilst the cricket nets are a free-to-use walk-up facility.