Project Homeland Q&A

We have received a number of questions from the community via email and social media, so are consolidating in

one place for public availability.

Some questions have been slightly reworded to make them clearer.

Questions can be submitted to BYFC and BFC via the form at the bottom of this page

Little to no public engagement has occurred. Are there plans to engage and meet with residents living near the scheme?

We had planned to set up a meeting with the public once we had something more tangible to present as at present our idea is just conceptual. However, we have listened to the concerns of the local residents in the meantime, and realised we have made a misstep with our engagement. As the timeline for the project is a long way away, we shall hold a meeting when we have something tangible to present.

Who actually owns the land?

KCC gifted part of the land to Oakwood grammar. KCC gave a 125 year lease to St Augustine's Academy.

Will it be 3G or 4G?

The proposal is to build a 3G pitch which can be used for a variety of sports and is officially recognised by the Football Association. This also meets the requirements of St Augustine for their planned school usage.

When do you aim to start building the 3G?

Depending on how long it takes to secure funding and subject to planning permission, we anticipate appx 18-24 months time.

How high will the Sport Lights (Floodlights) be, and how many?

Sports Lighting (the term used by Sport England) would be 15m high (49 feet), and there would be 4-6 of them. Professional planners will help determine how many exactly.

How high will the fence around the 3G be?

The initial estimate for the fencing is 4.5m high (15 feet), for security and safeguarding. We would seek and be advised by professional planners on the exact specifics.

How long will it take to build?

The construction of the sports pitch itself is estimated to take around 16 weeks from start to finish, but other amenities might have different timelines for completion. We initially thought the sports pitch would take 8 weeks, which was our mistake.

How inset and far away is the proposed pitch going to be from the wall that backs on the main road of Queens road?

At the moment we don’t have definite measurements, but it would be sited on the top 2 existing football pitches, with clearance around the outside. The structure would be made up of fencing, hard standing, and then the pitch.

Why are you planning on tarmacing the King Charles III Footpath (Dog Walking Path)?

We have no plans to tarmac the King Charles III footpath and have never suggested such an action. It was suggested to us that a more durable pathway would provide better access for the community, so is something that would be considered as part of any planning application. Any such alteration would need to be sympathetic to the landscape and in agreement with St Augustine’s Academy, Oakwood Grammar, and the Oakwood Park Community Group.

Why are you taking away grass sports pitches that are used for a variety of public pursuits?

We are booking the pitches directly with St Augustine’s Academy. Our usage of the site at weekends will not be all day long, with the majority of the time being vacant to continue being used by the public. We are just hiring various parts of the fields at different times over the weekend, the same as anyone else can do.

Why can no-one else book the sports pitches?

Like any other site, block bookings are a normal way for school’s to maximise the use of their facilities.

Will you still be using the grass pitches once the 3G is built?

If we receive planning permission for the 3G, the demand will be reduced on the grass pitches but they will still be used at a reduced amount.

How many concurrent matches will there be?

Whilst we are using the grass pitches from May 2025, there would be at most 4 matches at any one time. These would not be 11v11, but a mixture of formats (5v5, 7v7, 9v9).

Why do you want to grow female football?

We believe that female players should have the same opportunities to play football as male players. Our club is proud to support female participation in the sport — from the 2025/26 season we aim to increase our female provision through a number of teams alongside our Wildcats provision.

Who cares if you lose players to higher-tier clubs, that’s a natural part of football?

We totally agree that this is a natural part of football, but what we want to provide is a pathway for young people to continue playing and enjoying football once they get to 18 years of age and beyond.

How far do you plan to grow the club?

Our ambition is to provide footballing opportunities for girls, boys, women and men from youth to adulthood, including walking football. We don’t want to put a limit on the ambitions of any successful teams, but the proposed facility will enable teams progression in the divisions therein.

Why don’t you care about the environmental impact and wildlife?

As individuals and as a club, we deeply value the environment. We are also acutely aware of the significant lack of sporting facilities in our local area and the pressing need for them. Please be assured that before any plans progress, we fully expect to commission a thorough environmental impact assessment conducted by qualified experts. These assessments will specifically address the potential impact on local wildlife, and we will adhere to their recommendations at our own expense and meet their mitigations. BYFC are a proud member of Kent Green United for the last 2 years, showing our ambition to be a sustainable club.

Will we no longer have access to school fields outside school hours?

There will be no change to the existing community access to the school fields, and it would not be in our power to change access. The community access licence negotiated by the Oakwood Park Community Group, was based on reflecting and respecting the schools and community interests. We see no reason why this would change.

Why do you need to place containers on the site and when will they be arriving?

As a football club we currently have a large amount of equipment that is stored in two shipping containers at another site. With a large portion of our teams playing at St Augustine's Academy, it means we can place them here and not pay rent at a location we no longer use for matches. Having containers on site will also mean that more of our coaches will not have to load up their vehicles and drive to St Augustine's Academy. These have now been successfully moved in Jule 2025 in line with MBC Planning Regulations.

I have been told that you want to run a licensed bar that is open 7 days a week to 10pm, is that true?

This is not true. There is no interest or desire to operate the Community Hub as a public house. We only propose to sell alcohol during Saturday afternoon matches and for a limited period afterward to allow our volunteer staff to return home to their families in the evening. Any other instances would be rare club events, for which we would obtain the necessary licenses in advance.

Will the Sports Lights (Floodlights) be on at weekends?

We expect that on Saturdays or Sundays, the sports lights would likely be in use until around 6 pm (during the darker months) to align with home fixtures, although not every week

10 car spaces isn’t going to be enough, where do you intend for everyone to park?

Our parking plan involves consolidating parking into one main area. We propose expanding the existing overflow car park to accommodate approximately 50-60 vehicles, in addition to the use of the School car park (approximately 60 spaces) and the parking bays outside the sports hall (approximately 60 spaces). We have also allocated 10 parking spaces near the corner by the Queens Road entrance specifically for disability access and match officials.

Do you intend to use the site 365 days of the year?

We do not intend to use the 3G pitch 365 days a year or every evening. Currently, our teams train on Tuesday evening, Wednesday evening, and Thursday evening, with matches on Saturdays and Sundays. Weekend matches are played during the mornings and afternoons, but not every week as sometimes the teams would be playing away from home.

Are you generating profit for commercial gain?

As a non-profit organisation with no desire to operate a business, we have no financial requirement or desire for such rentals. We are currently in the process of changing our status from an unincorporated entity to a Community Interest Company. A Community Interest Company (CIC) is a special type of limited company designed to benefit the community rather than individual shareholders. CICs are established to provide a benefit to the community they serve, with the primary focus on community benefit rather than private profit.

How would the 3G be funded?

Barming Youth FC and Barming FC have prudently set aside funds for a number of years via financial planning to provide a base fund for the day when an opportunity arises. Using this as a starting point, the remainder of the funds shall be raised via fund-raising, donations, and seeking grants.

How will BYFC finance the maintenance and replacement of the 3G surface over the next 10 years?

We currently spend over £30,000 annually on hiring external pitches and training facilities. By having our own 3G pitch at St Augustine’s Academy, we will be self-sufficient. The funds we would have previously spent on hiring will be reinvested into the facility for ongoing expenses, maintenance, and the eventual replacement of the 3G surface in 10 years. This means we won't need to rent out the pitch beyond our own club's requirements to cover these costs.

How will the community actually have access to the Community building?

The community building will be available for residents to use during the day, along with a picnic and play area located within a gated area to avoid any impact on the safeguarding obligations of the schools on site. The Hub will be self-contained by extending the existing fencing up to the 3G area, with fob gates on each side to allow access to the fields during non-school hours. Bookings to the Community Hub can be made via ourselves.

Where will people be able to play Cricket?

There is currently no cricket pitch at St Augustine’s Academy, although there is an artificial practice wicket that exists between two football pitches that the school no longer uses due to its poor condition. St Augustine assessed the cricket strip and deemed it unsafe to use and for it to be removed as cricket is not part of their current curriculum. We propose reinstating an artificial wicket for the schools use, and levelling out the area to provide a better quality grass surface for them if they so wish. The 3G pitch would also be available for use for Cricket.

The proposed facility will not be available for disability football, and is currently used by MUFC Raiders. What will happen to them?

The MUFC Raiders are a valued part of our community. They shall remain onsite, and given access to make use of the 3G, the car parking, and the Community Hub.

How do you plan to prevent sports lights (flood lights) pointing into people’s homes?

The sports lights shall be cowled and directed downwards to minimise any impact on residential properties. Well-designed and properly installed outdoor sports lighting should limit and control light spillage, whilst careful site orientation of the pitch and landscaping can reduce the daytime visibility of the columns.

What do you intend to do about noise pollution?

We shall consult with an acoustics planning advisor as to the best way to prevent as much sound travelling to residential properties as possible from the 3G pitch. This may be in the form of sound barrier(s), or bunds (earth structures) which would make use of soil from the build. In terms of reducing noise from vehicles, we will educate people to be respectful of local residents. This would be monitored closely, and action taken against anyone found to be abusing this trust.