A football club hopes its new pitch will help produce more future stars from the community.

Heybridge Swifts Football Club wants to replace its current grass pitch at the Aspen Waite Arena in Scraley Road with an all-weather artificial playing surface.

The club, which runs teams from senior football to under-sevens says there is a serious need for a pitch of this type to be accessible to all age groups.

A spokesman said: “The proposal is to build a synthetic pitch to improve the sports facilities available to the football club and the wider local community.

“The existing grass pitch is the sole playing field and therefore due to regular use it is resulting in costly ongoing maintenance and poor surface recovery.

“Due to poor ground conditions the grass pitch is often not available or usable in inclement weather for training and matches which restricts the club and community offering.”

Swifts have been enjoying good form in recent months, currently sitting in second place in the Bostik League North Division, a point ahead of local rivals Maldon and Tiptree FC.

Off the pitch, however, it hasn’t enjoyed as much recent success.

The club and Bloor Homes planned to build a new stadium at Goldhanger Road, in Heybridge, and replace its existing pitches in Scraley Road with 104 homes.

The proposals – first unveiled in March 2015 – were unanimously rejected by Maldon District Council last July.

The club hopes the new pitch will promote “sporting achievement” because youngsters will be able to train come rain, snow or shine.

The club says the new Fifa-quality artificial pitch would go someway towards fulfilling the need for more football pitches across the Maldon district.

A study from Swifts between 2014 and 2017 found there was a need for ten more pitches.

A club spokesman added: “The new synthetic pitch will be available for hire and would therefore bring funding into the club whilst benefitting the local community, with local residents being able to participate in sport regularly, whatever the weather.

“The club highlighted a need for ten additional pitches in the Maldon area.

“An artificial pitch such as the one proposed would be the equivalent of three natural grass pitches, effectively providing the same usage as two new pitches.”