Huncoat United Junior Football Club kicks off new season on their new pitch
Huncoat United Junior Football Club celebrated the start of the new season in style with a community event at its newly completed pitch.
The new pitch, funded by United Utilities and delivered in partnership with Hyndburn Borough Council, ensures that the club, which was established in 1984, can continue to operate in the area while construction works on the Haweswater Aqueduct Resilience Programme (HARP) takes place.
The original seven-a-side pitch is on land needed for the construction of an 8.8km stretch of tunnel between Huncoat and Haslingden.
The new pitch is built on Bolton Avenue Recreation Ground in an area where engineering works will not cause disturbance. Once the project is completed, the old pitch will be reinstated by United Utilities meaning the club will benefit from an additional pitch.
Matt Postlethwaite, United Utilities’ Engagement Lead for HARP, explained: “HARP is a huge project for our region. As well as securing water supplies for millions of customers and creating hundreds of jobs, it is important to us to leave a positive legacy for the communities where we are working. We are grateful to the support from Hyndburn Borough Council to make this happen.”
Councillor Paul Cox, Portfolio Holder for Environmental Services at Hyndburn Council said: "We’re delighted to support this arrangement, which secures high-quality football facilities for Huncoat United during and long after the Haweswater Aqueduct project.
“Through positive partnership working with United Utilities and the club, we’ve ensured that local young people continue to have access to football pitches and opportunities to play sport in Huncoat. This helps strengthen grassroots football in Huncoat, giving the club the facilities it needs to support existing players and inspire future generations.
"As this project comes to fruition, it is appropriate to remember the late Councillor Dave Parkins, whose many years of dedicated service to Huncoat helped shape the proposals for the new pitch. This investment in local sport is exactly the type of opportunity for young people from Huncoat that he championed throughout his 27 years as a councillor.”
The creation of the new pitch involved transplanting an area of grassland featuring biodiversity rich grass to an adjacent piece of land. The new pitch features improved drainage, retaining walls and high-quality turf.
Jen Williams, Stakeholder Director for Cascade Infrastructure who are delivering HARP added: “This is a great example of the long-lasting positive legacy that HARP will deliver across communities in Lancashire, Cumbria and Greater Manchester. It provides a top-class facility for young people to connect, play and thrive.”
Welcoming the new pitch John Stitt, Treasurer at the club added: “Huncoat Utd will be forever grateful to United Utilities for replacing our old pitch. The new pitch has just transferred to us and was well worth the wait. As the kids say, it is ‘class’.”
The tunnel between Huncoat and Haslingden is one of six being delivered by tunnelling experts STRABAG UK on behalf of Cascade Infrastructure. When brought into use, the new tunnels will provide top quality drinking water to 2.5 million people in the North West.