Three Rivers District Council approved £167,200 on 3 February 2026 to upgrade the Rickmansworth Sports Club in Hertfordshire. The funding is intended to resolve persistent drainage problems that have frequently rendered the pitches unplayable and forced local matches to be cancelled. By modernising the site, the council aims to make the space more reliable and better used by the whole community.
Improvements will include better playing surfaces, new changing facilities, improved disabled access, and new cricket nets. These works follow a series of flooding and drainage incidents in late 2024 and 2025 that left the grounds unusable for months. The project will also address a 280-metre culvert (drainage pipe) that runs under the club’s land — sections of that culvert are owned by different landowners and have complicated the repair work.
Local teams such as Croxley Green FC, which has more than 600 players, are expected to benefit from increased availability of booking slots once the upgrades are complete. Rickmansworth Cricket Club, founded in 1787 and one of the oldest clubs in the country, will receive new practice nets as part of the scheme. The investment is intended to help the historic site remain a central hub for youth teams and casual players.
The money for these upgrades comes from the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), developer contributions used to fund local infrastructure. Construction is scheduled to begin promptly and the works are expected to be completed by mid-2026. Council leaders say the project will encourage more residents to stay active by providing higher-quality, more accessible facilities for everyone.
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