A new era of opportunity beckons for Tonbridge Angels FC alongside the town’s sporting community with the club’s submission of a planning application for a FIFA Standard artificial playing surface at the Halcyon Wealth Longmead Stadium. 

The application includes proposals for new energy efficient floodlights, new dugouts, and new goals for both 11 a side and 5 a side playing configurations.

With a projected overall cost of around £600,000 the club is seeking some grant aid funding with much of the remaining finance to come through various local partnerships with a number of options on the table.   

The benefits to the club itself and the local community are significant.  It is hoped that the new pitch would be used for up to 50 hours per week with a majority of use by local community sides. Youth, disability, women’s, walking and veterans football teams all stand to benefit from the upgraded facility and ease pressure on the few other artificial playing surfaces within the Borough.

Crucial to the progression of the scheme is the extension by Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council of the lease on the stadium and these discussions are already at an advanced level.  

The club are indebted to our sponsors, SJM Planning (Simon McKay), RSPD (Jamie Finch),  who have assisted so far in developing the planning application and also S & C Slatter (Paul Warren) who has provided consultancy in shaping the project.   The next step is to establish preferred suppliers with the hope to install the new pitch ready for the start of the 2022/23 season.