PLANS for an ambitious new football complex in North Weald boasting five floodlit pitches and a clubhouse have been submitted to the district council.
With the nearest five-a-side football centre of this scale more than ten miles away in Loughton, Bradley Smith, the man behind the proposal, hopes to set up junior and adult leagues, lay on coaching and host "Walking Football" games for the over 50s.
Mr Smith and his wife Stacy own the Barley Barn Day Nursery, in Rayley Lane, next door to the proposed two-acre soccer site.
If his planning application is approved, he says Shooters Football Centre & Academy will create up to ten new jobs and will offer a place for all ages to play the beautiful game.
The venue, served by 61 car parking spaces, would operate all year round.
Although it would be open until 10pm each day, Mr Smith believes that using floodlights to keep play going after dusk would not cause minimal light pollution.
"It's going to be floodlit so that there is virtually no spill outside of the ground," he said.
"It's condensed.
"The technology of lighting has come on a long way and there would be no problem."
The father-of-two believes his centre will deliver "important" and "much-needed" facilities for thousands of children across the area.
"We have got a lot of young people around Ongar and North Weald and what have they got to do?
"Everyone wants things for the younger generation to do, and this will give many of the youngsters just want they want.
"But this is also going to be a great facility for anyone of any age."
Youngsters aside, Mr Smith hopes to host adult leagues and hire out pitches for pals wanting a social game.
He also wants to attract the over-50s by staging Walking Football, a version of the game in which running is outlawed.
Mr Smith first came up with this idea after watching Walking Football being played on BBC News.
"We are aiming this at people, say, who are 50-plus, who are perhaps ex-footballers who cannot run around for 45 minutes, and it's also going to be a nice social thing as well," he said.
If planning permission is granted for the scheme, Mr Smith hopes building work will begin in May with a grand opening in September.
The site is situated next to North Weald Golf Club and Mr Smith believes the proposal will not fall foul of green belt rules.
