Merton is setting its sights on becoming the Borough of Sport, with ambitious plans to upgrade sports facilities across the area. Success of the initiative will be measured using metrics such as the number of residents accessing free swimming, fitness participation among 14-25 year olds, leisure centre usage, the percentage of physically active adults and children, and positive awareness of the Borough of Sport initiative among residents, as detailed in the April 2025 performance reports. Environment, Civic Pride and Climate and Housing and Sustainable Development.
The Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel met on Tuesday to discuss the progress of the Sports Facilities Assessment and Playing Pitch Strategy, a key component of the council's Borough of Sport initiative. Extensive consultation, including engagement with Council staff, Sport National Governing Bodies (NGBs), Sport England, facility providers and local clubs, has informed the development of the Playing Pitch Strategy.
The strategy aims to ensure that everyone in Merton has the opportunity to be active and access sport and physical activity, while also protecting and growing the borough's sporting heritage, and fostering a thriving sports and leisure economy.
Since launching the Borough of Sport initiative, Merton Council has secured over £2.4 million in external funding for improving playing facilities. Recent investments include:
- Refurbishing public tennis courts
- Improving changing facilities at King George's Playing Fields
- Drainage improvement works at Sir Joseph Hood Memorial Playing Fields
The council's three key missions for the Borough of Sport are:
i. Everyone in Merton, no matter their background, has the opportunity to be active and access sport and physical activity.
ii. Merton will be the natural home of sport in London, and will protect, preserve, and grow our sporting heritage.
iii. Merton will have a thriving sports and leisure economy that benefits the local community.
The timetable for the next stages of the strategy's development includes:
- Steering group sign-off of recommendations in July 2025
- Presentation of the Playing Pitch Strategy to the Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel, and development of an investment plan, between August 2025 and April 2026
- Submission of the investment plan for the Playing Pitch Strategy in Summer 2026, outlining key facilities for investment
- Ongoing annual review of the action plan
The main findings for the Playing Pitch Strategy, detailed in the Sports Facilities and Playing Pitch Strategy, are summarised by sport:
- Cricket: There are insufficient grass pitches to cater for the demand of clubs, and at least one additional grass cricket pitch is needed in the borough, in addition to two non-turf pitches at clubs with large youth sections.
- Football: The supply of grass pitches needs to increase and there is also a shortfall of 11v11 3G artificial grass pitches required to meet current demand.
- Hockey: The assessment of needs recommends the protection of current hockey facilities, resurfacing of poor-quality pitch provision and the installation of sports lighting at Harris Academy Morden.
- Rugby: The majority of rugby pitches in Merton are currently over capacity, and there is a need for 3 additional full size grass pitches and one additional full-sized WRC 3G AGP in Merton.
The Sports Facilities Assessment has highlighted the following key priorities:
- Swimming Pools: There is a need to protect the current supply of swimming pools, secure community use on education sites where possible and modernise current sites to improve their energy efficiency.
- Sports Halls: There is a need to protect the current supply, secure community use on education sites where possible and work towards developing a new 4 court sports hall at Morden Leisure Centre.
Other sports facilities priorities include:
- Athletics: Plans should be put in place for the refurbishment of the Wimbledon Park track and ancillary facilities.
- Racquet Sports: There are 4 Padel courts in Merton and the LTA has identified a need for a further 12 courts in the borough.
