“Where’s our promised 3G pitch?”

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

A senior councillor hopes the council can work with the community to install a new 3G artificial pitch in Llanfair Caerenion, after the authority was accused of “failing thousands of boys and girls”.

At a Powys County Council meeting on Thursday, the Cabinet Member for Leisure, Cllr Richard Church from Welshpool, was asked when a 3G artificial pitch could be installed in the town.

The question came from Gareth Hopkins in the questions from members of the public section.

Ahead of the meeting, he has asked the council if it is letting down grass roots footballers due to the lack of full size 3G pitches in the county.

Mr Hopkins had contacted all councils across Wales and had found out that there are 61 full size 3G pitches across Wales, which are ideal for football, but not one in Powys.

He had also pointed out that the council had announced in 2022 that a new 3G pitch would be coming to Llanfair Caereinion, but nothing has happened since then.

Mr Hopkins’ question had received a detailed written response from Cllr Church. But, under the rules that govern questions from members of the public, he was allowed to ask an extra question based on the answer received.

Mr Hopkins said: “The answer provided a host of information about other types of artificial pitches that I’m fully aware of, and Llanfair Caereinion wasn’t even mentioned.

“Why hasn’t the council built the 3G pitch in Llanfair Caereinion as promised?

“When will we see the council stop failing thousands of boys and girls who play football and commit to at least one full size 3G pitch in the county?”

Liberal Democrat, Cllr Church said: “The provision of 3G or 2G pitches is very much dependent on us working with clubs, the Welsh Football Association (FAW) and other sports associations particularly over funding to provide them. It’s not something we can do on our own.

“We have to deal with the criteria that other bodies require, particularly in relation to the population areas that would have use of that pitch.

“Building a pitch in Llanfair is something we very much want to do, and I hope we can continue to work with the community to deliver that.”

In his written answer to the original question Cllr Church had said that a new three-quarter size 3G pitch would typically cost around £1.2 million.

And it costs £25,000 a year in ongoing maintenance costs associated with operating an outdoor sports pitch.