Rochdale AFC and council unveil plans for Bowlee football and community wellbeing hub

Rochdale AFC and Rochdale Borough Council have revealed proposals for a new Football and Community Wellbeing Hub at Bowlee Playing Fields in Middleton.

The scheme is currently at the pre planning consultation stage, with residents and stakeholders invited to review the plans and provide feedback before a planning application is submitted.

The proposals would see Bowlee Playing Fields redeveloped into a modern sports and community facility combining football, health, fitness and wellbeing services on a single site.

According to the partners, the existing infrastructure at Bowlee is limited, with longstanding drainage issues affecting several grass pitches and the current pavilion no longer meeting the needs of modern community sport.

Under the plans, one half of the site would become a football hub linked to Rochdale AFC. This area would include a two storey building containing community offices, changing facilities, social space, gym facilities, media space and offices. It would also feature a full size 3G artificial grass pitch for Community Trust teams and programmes, a grass training area for first team use and an improved community grass football pitch.

The remaining half of the site would be operated by Your Trust and focus on wider community wellbeing. Proposed facilities include a new sports pavilion, a 40 station gym, a community room, cafe and social space, kitchen facilities, cricket nets, two full size community 3G pitches and changing rooms.

The wider development would also include improvements to landscaping, biodiversity, access routes, parking, outdoor play provision and shared public spaces.

Project partners say the aim is to improve the quality, reliability and capacity of sports provision at Bowlee. Artificial grass pitches can be used throughout the year and during periods of poor weather, increasing opportunities for children, young people, adults, women and girls, disability football teams, schools, clubs and community groups.

The proposals would also provide a long term training base for Rochdale AFC within the borough and bring together the club's first team and community operations.

Rochdale AFC Community Trust would gain a permanent home for its programmes and teams, including Ladies, Walking Football, Veterans, Military Veterans, refugee support, Ability Counts and All Stars initiatives.

Rochdale Borough Council says the development would represent a major investment in community sports infrastructure while retaining cricket provision and addressing known issues with pitch quality and drainage.

The project is being developed with input from organisations including the Football Foundation, Lancashire County Football Association, Sport England and Lancashire County Cricket Association.

Residents living near the site have been invited to attend a consultation event as part of the pre planning process. Feedback gathered during the consultation period will help shape the final proposals, planning application and future operation of the facility.