A football hub that councillors have agreed to spend nearly £3 million on is due to open at the end of 2024.

A business plan for the hub, which is set to be built in the Brentwood Centre, was agreed by Brentwood Borough Council on Monday (December 19).

The hub, set to have six pitches and be used by more than 100 local teams including Brentwood Town FC, would include three third generation artificial grass pitches and four grass pitches.

Other new facilities include toilets, changing rooms and kitchens.

READ MORE: Brentwood Council writes off £343k after leisure centre shuts

Kim Anderson, the council’s partnership, leisure and funding manager, told the meeting: “Subject to all other milestones being achieved, the football hub is likely to be operational in quarter four 2024.”

Everyone Active, which is currently operating the Brentwood Centre until 2025, is set to run the hub, according to a council report.

The council's community, environment and enforcement committee agreed its preferred options for building sizes and the operating model for the football hub at the meeting.

READ MORE: World Cup of Pool: Brentwood hosts “terrific final” as Spain wins for the first time in history

It also agreed to allocate £2.8 million funding to support its development. The council had previously approved the figure as part of a budget-setting process, but later agreed in 2020 that the money should not be spent until a full business case had been drawn up.

According to a council report, there are five main clubs in Brentwood, which have a total of 157 teams, within a three-mile radius of the Brentwood Centre.

Of these teams there are 61 mini-soccer teams, 80 youth teams, 14 adult teams and two disability teams. The report says this demonstrates local demand for the new facilities.

Brentwood Town FC’s first team are already using the site, while its reserves are using the club’s stadia pitch.

The hub will be based in the town where former Chelsea and England football player Frank Lampard went to school – Brentwood School – between 1985 and 1995.