Grassroots sport in Cheshire is set to benefit from a major boost following the news that Cheshire West and Chester Council have been successful in two separate bids to the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund in order to develop two new third generation (3G) artificial grass pitches.

The grants, totalling £520,079, will enable full-size, floodlit 3G artificial grass pitches to be built in both Ellesmere Port, adjacent to the site of the new Ellesmere Port Sports Village and in Northwich at the Moss Farm Leisure Complex, the home of the Cheshire FA.

The grants will be match-funded by Cheshire West and Chester Council, bringing the total investment in both sites to £1m.

When built, the two 3G pitches will provide a high-quality playing surface for the local community and grassroots clubs to use all-year round. The Cheshire FA have helped to produce a detailed Football Development Plan for each site, which will lead to large increases in participation, particularly in girls’ and disability football.

The Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund is funded by the Premier League, The FA, and the Government, via Sport England. It is delivered by the Football Foundation, the country’s largest sports charity. Since it was launched in 2000, the Foundation has awarded about 13,000 grants worth more than £513m towards improving grassroots sport, which it has used to attract additional partnership funding of more than £730m – over £1.24bn of investment into the grassroots game.

Cllr Stuart Parker, executive member for culture and economy Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “We are delighted to have secured this significant investment from the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, matched by funding from Cheshire West and Chester Council, to invest into local football and sporting infrastructure.

“These new facilities will provide a fantastic platform for a huge number of grassroots clubs across the whole of Cheshire West and will produce a great sporting environment, specifically helping to encourage greater participation for children and adults in the national game of football.”

Simon Gerrard, chief executive, Cheshire FA, said: “This is another fantastic opportunity for amateur players in Cheshire to have access to high quality 3G facilities. Grants from the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, which is delivered by the Football Foundation, will enable grassroots clubs, schools and the Cheshire FA to further enhance their football development programmes for players, coaches, volunteers and officials of all ages and help ensure the long term sustainability of football in Cheshire.”

Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: “Congratulations should go to Cheshire West and Chester Council for working with the Cheshire FA to secure these Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund grants.

“The Football Foundation is responsible for managing and delivering the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, which is funded by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, via Sport England. When finished, the two 3G pitches will be an example of the positive impact that this funding is having on our grassroots game. First-class facilities like this are crucial to creating more opportunities for local people to enjoy regular sport.

“Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded 173 grants worth £9.8m across Cheshire towards grassroots sports projects worth nearly £19.9m with money generously provided by our funders: the Premier League, The FA and the Government, via Sport England.”