To request a grass sports pitch, email sports@cheshireeast.gov.uk with the day your league plays and whether you need a morning or afternoon slot.
We allocate pitches for the new season after the current season ends. Once allocations have been made, all teams are informed at the same time.
Pitch size changes
If you are an existing club and need a different pitch size for a new team next season, let us know after the current season has finished.
How pitches are allocated
There is high demand for grass pitches across Cheshire East.
We allocate pitches in the following order:
- Teams renewing their allocation from the previous season
- Existing clubs that are expanding
- New clubs applying for any remaining slots
If your preferred pitch or time is not available, we will keep a record of your preference. If it becomes available during the season, we will contact you.
Receiving your pitch allocation
We email all current contacts before the new season with details of their allocation and a deadline to respond.
The email includes details of:
- your pitch allocation
- terms of use
- any pitch-sharing arrangements
- hire charges
You must accept the terms of use by the stated deadline to secure your allocation.
If you do not respond by the deadline, you may lose your allocation, whether you are an existing team or a new applicant.
Season dates
We aim to make pitches available by the end of August. In some years, pitches may not open until the first weekend in September because of weather conditions or time needed to prepare the grounds.
We will confirm opening dates as soon as possible so that clubs can inform their leagues.
The season usually ends in mid-May. Teams are advised of the closing date during the second half of the season.
Midweek fixtures are permitted during September and again from April until the end of the season.
Fixtures and pitch sharing
Most pitches are shared by more than one team. If your pitch is shared, we will tell you during the allocation process.
Send your fixtures to sports@cheshireeast.gov.uk as soon as you receive them. This allows us to update weekly schedules and identify any clashes.
When a clash happens, both teams will be contacted and offered an alternative pitch. If another clash occurs later in the season, the other team may be asked to move instead.
Cup fixtures take priority when fixture clashes occur.
Pitch fees and payment
Invoices are issued after the season starts and payment is due within 28 days.
We tell teams the hire costs before the season begins so they can prepare for the charges.
Pitches with changing facilities cost more than those without facilities. This is because there are ongoing costs associated with making changing facilities available, whether they are used or not.
Non-payment of invoices
If an invoice is not paid, we will notify the relevant league that the pitch allocation has been withdrawn.
The team may also be prevented from using council facilities as a visiting team until payment has been made. Outstanding debts will be passed to the debt recovery team.
Pitch marking and grass cutting
Our grounds maintenance teams usually carry out mowing between April and October, although this depends on weather conditions.
Grass cutting takes place every 2 weeks. We cannot provide dates for individual pitches. If a pitch is missed because of weather or access issues, we will return to it as soon as possible.
We only mark pitches for fixtures that have been reported to us.
If you need a pitch marked for a weekend match, you must email sports@cheshireeast.gov.uk by 12 noon on the Tuesday before the fixture. With almost 60 pitches across Cheshire East, we are unable to mark all pitches at short notice on a Friday.
Pitch closures and bad weather
During the winter months we monitor both weather forecasts and pitch conditions closely.
Sometimes pitches are closed because severe weather is expected, even if conditions later improve. At other times, poor weather during the week can leave pitches unsafe to use at the weekend, even when the weather has improved.
We aim to tell teams about closures on Thursdays wherever possible. This gives clubs time to rearrange fixtures or find an alternative venue.
Pitch maintenance
Goalposts are removed at the end of each season. This helps reduce wear in goalmouth areas, which are some of the most heavily used parts of a pitch.
Training on pitches
Organised training sessions are not permitted on grass pitches during the season or over the summer.
This helps protect the playing surface, allows pitches time to recover, and gives maintenance teams access for essential work.
The pitches and surrounding open spaces can still be used for informal recreation. However, informal use does not include pitch marking, grass cutting to match standards, access to changing facilities, or exclusive use of the space.
Clubs should also be aware that using an open space for organised training without permission could affect insurance arrangements if an injury occurs. Insurance companies may ask whether the club had permission to use the pitch.
Unauthorised visitors on pitches
Occasionally, vehicles may be left in a car park by members of the public using the surrounding open space.
If this prevents you from locking the site, please leave a contact number so the vehicle owner can arrange access when they return.
You should lock the gates when leaving to help prevent unauthorised access.
If visitors refuse to leave, or you do not feel comfortable asking them to leave, contact the Cheshire East Contact Centre on 0300 123 5500 and email sports@cheshireeast.gov.uk
Leave the site, but do not lock the gates.