New floodlights are pitch perfect!

Footballers using Hove Park’s all-weather pitch are enjoying better and brighter playing conditions, thanks to the installation of new, energy-efficient floodlights.

Brighton & Hove City Council has replaced the existing aging sodium lights on the 3G pitch’s perimeter with 16 new LED lights.  

Improved lighting

The Russell Martin Foundation, which has operated the 3G pitch on behalf of the city council since 2018, had become concerned at the reliability of the lights.

The lights will provide greatly improved lighting coverage, particularly in the darker months, across the whole hard surface sports area. 

The council’s lighting contractors Colas undertook structural and electrical safety checks on the floodlights and columns, before undertaking the re-design and replacement of the lights.

Special 'switch on'

Representatives from the Russell Martin Foundation then attended a special switch-on, to see the improved lighting under late evening conditions.

Colas operatives, together with sub-contractors using a specialist high-rise expanding “caterpillar track”-type vehicle that would not damage the pitch surface, were able to complete the work over four days in April.

The facility had been closed due to the Coronavirus pandemic, and operatives followed appropriate distancing and safe working protocols throughout.

Investing in our parks

Councillor Gary Wilkinson, deputy chair of the Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “These new lights will not just benefit local people of all ages wanting to play football at Hove Park – it’s a further investment in the future of this award-winning, Green Flag park, which has many popular public facilities, and is so valued by the local community.”

Increased sporting opportunities

Donna Cox, Welfare Officer and General Manager of the Russell Martin Foundation added: “The improvement offered by this long-awaited lighting upgrade will be felt widely, particularly as we move into the darker winter months.

"Although it was a sad necessity, for safety reasons, to close the pitch for several weeks over the late spring and early summer due to the Coronavirus, the Foundation is now looking forward to being able to offer increased opportunities for sport and education for many years to come.”