WORK has now begun on a major upgrade of a Witney football pitch after cash backing was approved by councillors.

The improvements got under way after cabinet members at West Oxfordshire District Council recommended that £125,611 from the authority’s capital programme be dedicated to replacing the surface of the artificial pitch at The Henry Box School.

The new state-of-the-art 3G surface will be used by youngsters from the school as well as football clubs including Tower Hill, Witney Vikings, Witney Wanderers and Ducklington.

The pitch will be compliant with world football governing authority FIFA’s quality standard and will be complemented with improved floodlights.

Its total cost is £344,000, with £212,000 already in place thanks to a grant from the Premier League and the Football Association’s Facilities Fund. The remainder will come from secured Section 106 funding.

Work is due to be completed by March.

Jeanette Baker, the cabinet member for leisure and health at WODC, said the move by councillors would help provide a positive boost to the wellbeing of people in the town and further afield.

The councillor, who is a representative of Witney East, said: “This will create a fantastic facility for footballers of all ages and abilities and will attract new players.

“It will play a major contribution to health and fitness both in the town and further afield.”

The recommendation of funding by the cabinet is now due to go before full council.

All decisions made by the council’s cabinet are subject to the usual 10-day call-in period.

The artificial turf pitch is owned by the district council on land leased from Oxfordshire County Council.

It was opened in 2000 and is a dual usage site incorporating the needs of The Henry Box School during the day and other local clubs at other times.

The facility is operated by WODC’s leisure contractor GLL.

Currently the site is predominantly used for football, with 90 per cent of the community use allocation being booked for football.

However, a hockey club currently uses the site for one night a week, with its other training sessions and competitions held at Wood Green School, and will also benefit from the changes.