Wigan Council has announced a complete transformation for a local sports hub with new pitches, changing rooms and catering facilities included.

Local authority and community club bosses have welcomed the news that full funding is now in place to transform the sporting facility in Ince.

The Imperial Fields site is set to be promoted to the big leagues with a major makeover thanks to support from the Premier League, The FA, the Government Football Foundation’s Home Advantage Programme and the Government’s Pride of Place Impact fund.

It will become a fully equipped sports hub used by the Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club.

from left, Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club (IRBSCC) Vice chairman Dean Kenny and chairman Mark Alder. Members and supporters of Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club at the former Rose Bridge High School field, locally known as the Imp (The Imperial Fields), off Ince Hall Avenue, Ince. As funding has been secured for a new sporting hub.

placeholder image — from left, Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club (IRBSCC) Vice chairman Dean Kenny and chairman Mark Alder. Members and supporters of Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club at the former Rose Bridge High School field, locally known as the Imp (The Imperial Fields), off Ince Hall Avenue, Ince. As funding has been secured for a new sporting hub.

New pitches, fully accessible changing rooms, catering facilities, toilet blocks and storage options are all part of the vision for the site.

Leader of Wigan Council, Coun David Molyneux MBE, said: “This is amazing news that means a new exciting era for our community in the heart of Ince.

“We have seen the impact of the Football Hub at William Fosters playing fields in recent years in providing top quality facilities and a community venue.

“A lot of hard work as a partnership has been ongoing for several years in bringing this project to this stage and we are delighted to have secured the funding in full. I would like to congratulate the club, Mark and Dean, that all the hard work has paid off.”

Members and supporters of Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club at the former Rose Bridge High School field, locally known as the Imp (The Imperial Fields), off Ince Hall Avenue, Ince. As funding has been secured for a new sporting hub.

The Ince Rose Bridge Sports and Community Club (IRBSCC) currently caters for more than 700 sporting participants across all ages, abilities and genders.

Chairman Mark Alder said: “This is a major milestone for our club and a clear recognition of the potential this project must transform our community. We are extremely grateful for that belief and support.

“Combined with other funding already secured, this investment enables us to complete the acquisition and development of our new site, increasing our footprint fivefold.”

The club is looking to secure further significant funding from the Football Foundation’s Home Advantage programme, which provides funding of up to £250k to clubs hoping to take on long-term leases of the local authority sites they play at.

General view of The Imperial Fields, which will be transformed to the new Ince Sporting Hub.

The extra funding, recently allocated from the Pride of Place Impact fund, will help push the plans over the line.

Its aim is to unlock the power of pitches for grassroots football clubs across the country and enable them to take pride and ownership in the place they call home.

Robert Sullivan, CEO of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to unlock the power of pitches for more grassroots clubs and enable them to take pride and ownership in the place they call home.

“Through our Home Advantage Programme, the Foundation plans to provide the support and funding needed to transfer of over 1,750 grass football pitches like the ones at the Imperial Fields site from local authorities to grassroots clubs and organisations across the country.”

Dean Kenny, vice-chairman of IRBCSS, said: “This is a huge step forward at exactly the right time for our club. The Pride in Place Impact Fund has recognised the opportunity within this project and stepped in to support it in a significant way—we are incredibly thankful for that.”