Latest drone footage shows further progress at new Wigan football hub

Taken by a drone belonging to Wigan Today reader Brian King, the image shows not only one of the pitches ready for action but also that a significant car park has been established on the site off Scot Lane and Laithwaite Road.

The state-of-the-art facilities at both Laithwaite and the William Foster playing fields at Ince had been scheduled to be open for action last year.

But, as Wigan Today revealed in November, the project has been delayed, Wigan Council says, by the war in Ukraine affecting the construction industry.

It is backed by an investment of nearly £5m from the local authority and £8m from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

Identified in Wigan’s Local Football Facility Plan as priority projects, the hubs will serve thousands of young people, adults and elderly residents from across the region.

At Ince the works will include two floodlit 3G football turf pitches, a four-team changing pavilion with two officials' changing rooms, cafe and social space, plus two training rooms, carparking and children's play area.

The site will serve a number of clubs in the area, including Hindley Juniors FC, who will use the site to accommodate their existing 39 teams.

At Laithwaite Park, the works include the installation of three floodlit 3G FTPs alongside a new pavilion with six team and two officials' changing rooms, café and community space and car parking. local teams Cherrybrook FC and Wigan Athletic Ladies and Girls FC will make this site their home as partner clubs.

Both hubs will be central venues for mini-soccer and junior football through Wigan and District Youth League and the community programmes of Wigan Athletic Community Trust including Premier League KICKS, girls and boys development centres, and post-16 education.

The sites will be operated by the charity Leisure United which will ensure all surplus income is re-invested back into grassroots football in the borough to help make the game more sustainable.

The work, if all goes to plan now, is expected to be completed later this year.