New artificial sports pitch to be installed at The Grove School, Market Drayton

Work to install a new artificial turf pitch (ATP) at The Grove School in Market Drayton is set to be carried out later this year after £350,000 of CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) funding was allocated to the project.

Work will begin once all the funding needed for the work has been secured, and will provide the school and the town with a high-quality, full-size hockey pitch for the first time.

CIL funding is money from developers undertaking new building projects in a local area.

The resurfacing is being carried out after Shropshire Council’s Playing Pitch and Outdoor Sports Strategy (PPOSS) identified the need for a hockey-suitable astroturf pitch in Market Drayton. The pitch can also be used for football, cricket, netball and tennis.

The Grove School doesn’t currently teach hockey due to the lack of a facility, and Market Drayton Hockey Club has to travel to Keele, Lilleshall or Whitchurch to access a suitable full-size pitch.

James Owen, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for housing and leisure, said:

“This is great news for The Grove, the hockey club and for Market Drayton and I’m delighted that CIL is being used to provide this local facility, showing the benefits that development can have on improving facilities for existing residents.

“When the new pitch is built it will give The Grove School a high-quality outdoor PE facility and enable them to include hockey in their PE curriculum – as well as enabling the hockey club to offer coaching sessions in Market Drayton itself. The hope is that this will lead to the club having junior teams, as well as encouraging more adult residents of Market Drayton to join the club through the various initiatives that England Hockey have on offer.”

Tom Dainty, Shropshire Councillor for Market Drayton East, said:

“I am extremely proud of the work of the Active Drayton Board and I know my fellow councillors Blandford and Minnery also welcome the improvement of sporting provision within the town for residents – as well as helping the Grove School to continue its brilliant development and its providing of a fantastic education for its students.”

It’s hoped that work will be carried out later this year, subject to the additional funding being secured.

New ATP pitches were also installed at Sir John Talbot’s School in Whitchurch in 2025, and at Meole Brace School in Shrewsbury in 2021 – both using CIL funding.