Our Vision for Dersingham Sports Ground

Creating a Vibrant Future for Sports and Community Engagement

Background

Dersingham Sports Ground has been an integral part of the village for over 75 years. Centrally situated, it has 3.9 hectares of level grassed playing fields, which support 3 adult football, 2 junior football, and 2 cricket teams and a tennis club (with two all weather hard courts with floodlights). Dersingham Rovers FC has been a major sporting success and currently tops West Norfolk League. They are on the verge of promotion to Anglia Division I. A typical winter Saturday could see two teams playing on the two full-size football pitches, alongside junior teams.

Despite these superb on-field facilities, there is a serious lack of other facilities, including sufficient car parking. The Sports Pavilion was erected in 1967 (opened by the Duke of Edinburgh) and was extended to its current footprint in 1998. Originally built with 2 changing rooms the extensions mean that the pavilion has 4 changing rooms, communal showers and WCs, in addition to a kitchen and social area. Nowadays it does not conform to current sports and social guidance and the internal layout is confused. The building is in very poor shape with no heating, insulation or disabled access and the layout means that it is difficult to ensure adequate safeguarding provision. At around 200 sq metres external measurement, this existing footprint is deemed sufficient for user needs, though the internal layout and condition means that the building will soon become unusable.

The Objective

To achieve the desired and essential improvements to Dersingham Sports Ground and Pavilion, a new Charitable Incorporated Organization (CIO) was established in late 2023. This is called Dersingham Sports Ground Association

Managed by a team of experienced local Trustees, the Association leases the facilities from the Parish Council, which in turn leases the land from the Crown.

The primary aim of the DGSA is to provide and manage a first-class sporting facility for the benefit of the residents of Dersingham and surrounding villages. The aim is to increase overall community engagement, by providing a new purpose designed pavilion, supporting the increasing numbers of sports users, with emphasis on building on youth and women’s sports involvement.

The New Sports Pavilion – The Goal

Commencing in early 2024 the DGSA has had extensive consultations with sports user clubs  and associated sports bodies such as The Football Foundation, Norfolk FA, English Cricket Board and Lawn tennis Association.  From these discussions Trustees are currently drawing up plans for a complete renovation of the existing pavilion. The hope is by the end of 2025 we will have a new, improved, eco-friendly and compliant sports pavilion to serve the needs of the community for the coming 50 years or more.

The headline components of this plan are:

Modernised Facilities

To re-build or renovate the existing single storey building to modern standards to provide adequate changing facilities for up to four teams and officials.

Safety and Accessibility

Design will incorporate everything necessary for H&S, Child and Vulnerable Adult Safeguarding, Disabled Access, together with facilities such as kitchen, storage and social space.

Compliance

Changing, toilet and shower facilities will meet all statutory, FA and ECB requirements.

Enhanced Social Space

Providing good communal and social areas, modern kitchen facilities, and a covered space for social use.

Covered Social Space

Front aspect to pitch-side, will have a covered space for social use, (barbecue, seating, etc).

Improved
Parking

Enhancing parking and vehicle access.

Sustainability

Designed for environmental sustainability, with attention given to appropriate levels of insulation, modern heating, solar and heat source energy and designed also to conform to Sandringham Estate architectural standards.

We are committed to transforming Dersingham Sports Ground into a first-class facility that will serve the community for the next 50 years and beyond.