Work is set to get underway on new PlayZone facilities at Dale Road Recreation Ground and Stockbrook Recreation Ground, delivering high‑quality, accessible spaces for local communities to get active.
The projects have been made possible by a £468,000 grant from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.
The national PlayZone programme, launched in 2022, supports modern, safe and accessible multi‑sport spaces designed to tackle inequalities in physical activity. Derby was selected for Phase 1 of the programme in recognition of its strong track record through the Active Through Football initiative and its effective partnership with the Football Foundation.
The total investment across the two sites is £624,000. This is made up of the £468,000 Football Foundation grant and £156,000 of Derby City Council match funding, including Parks and Open Spaces capital funding and Section 106 contributions.
Extensive community engagement has helped to shape the proposals, including targeted work with priority groups such as women and girls, culturally diverse communities, disabled people, and residents with long‑term health conditions. Further consultation has taken place through Let’s Talk Derby and the statutory planning process to ensure the facilities reflect local needs and priorities.
Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Parks and Leisure, said:
Investing in high‑quality, accessible spaces for physical activity is vital for the health and wellbeing of our communities. These new PlayZones at Dale Road and Stockbrook will provide safe, welcoming places for people of all ages and abilities to get active, socialise and enjoy their local parks.
We’re pleased to be working with the Football Foundation to bring these facilities forward and to have shaped the designs in partnership with local residents.
Brand‑new PlayZones will be created at both sites, providing a modern, floodlit space for a range of sports and activities which will significantly improve the offer for local residents.
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said:
When it comes to tackling the greatest inequalities to becoming active, the Football Foundation knows a ‘one-size fits all’ approach doesn’t work. That’s why community engagement is at the heart of our PlayZones programme.
As with all PlayZones, the new facilities at Dale Road Recreation Ground and Stockbrook Recreation Ground will be shaped by the local community in Derby who’ll be able to step out onto the pitch and get active in a way that suits them.
Thanks to the funding we receive from our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Foundation will be delivering over 200 PlayZones like these across the country.
The PlayZones will operate on a financially sustainable pay‑and‑play model, building on the success of the Alvaston Park PlayZone, which was completed in 2025 and is already proving popular with local residents and community groups.
Work at Dale Road Recreation Ground is expected to begin next week (week commencing 28 September), with construction at Stockbrook Recreation Ground due to start week commencing 5 October. Subject to weather conditions, both schemes are anticipated to take approximately 12 weeks to complete.