Windsor & Eton's 3G vision hailed as 'vital investment' for young people and community

Windsor & Eton believe that people are broadly in favour of their plans for a new 3G pitch at Stag Meadow following a period of consultation with residents.

The consultation period gave people a chance to respond to their plans to build a new state-of-the-art surface at the club - a move seen as a ‘game changer’ for the Royalists moving foward.

This week the club said that ‘82 per cent of those who responded expressed clear support for the plan in principle’.

The aim of the new pitch is to bring in new revenue streams and enable more young people to play football in the area.

The club has been on the rise since it was formed back in 2023 with the men’s first team now playing at step 5 in the Combined Counties Premier Division North.

The club holds a 25-year lease for Stag Meadow with The Crown Estate and has set itself a goal of building a ‘sustainable and inclusive future’ for football in Windsor.

Planning approval for the new artificial surface would go some way towards achieving that goal. It would replace its current grass pitch with a new 3G surface that could be used all year round by the men’s, women’s and youth teams - as well as the wider community. It would also provide a permanent home for the club’s 50 youth teams and expand the club’s provision to support new teams and programmes in women’s and girls football.

Some concerns have been raised by residents over the impact on wildlife, the health implications of 3G surfaces, light and noise issues and car parking and traffic, however, the club has attempted to address these

The club’s statement said: “This process included an in-person consultation meeting for residents, as well as opportunities to respond via both online and paper-based surveys. In addition, we are proud to note that 1,184 people have to date signed our petition of support, demonstrating the breadth of backing across the Windsor community.

“In total, 113 consultation survey responses were received from the public. Of these, over 82% expressed clear support for the principle of development and its positive impact on the community. It is also important to note that around 79 per cent of responses came from the SL4 postcode, demonstrating that the views shared are highly local and relevant to the local community.”

The club said that responses show people see the proposal as a ‘vital investment in Windsor’s young people’ and a facility that would ‘benefit the whole town for years to come’.

In answer to some of the concerns raised over the impact on wildlife, an independent specialist will carry out an ecological appraisal and biodiversity net gain assessment - ensuring there’s at least a 10 per cent biodiversity improvement.
Concerns were also raised over the health implications of 3G pitches.

The club responded by highlighting there are now 2,000 3G pitches across the UK - including at neighbouring schools and clubs. Scientific studies by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) have also said there is “no reason to advise people against playing sports on synthetic turf containing recycled rubber granules.”

Other areas of concern included ‘light and noise’, ‘traffic and parking’ and ‘access’ - after the club recently installed a controversial car park barrier.

Windsor & Eton insisted the pitch would be open between 9am and 10pm only - not 11pm as had been stated elsewhere. The floodlights will also be changed with new LED technology, limiting light spill to surrounding areas.

The club also has a traffic and parking management plan to minimise any disruption on busy match-days.

The statement continued: “We continue to welcome fair and honest debate, and we remain committed to transparency.

“This consultation has shown very strong overall support while highlighting areas where we can provide reassurance.

“As part of our ongoing commitment to transparency and open dialogue, we will be holding a follow-up meeting (date to be confirmed) for residents ahead of submitting our full planning application. This session will provide an opportunity to run through some of the key specifics in more detail, in particular our proposed transport and parking plan, and to answer any remaining questions.”

“We thank everyone who has contributed their views and look forward to continuing this journey together.”