The Rec Hub Phase 2: Creating New Space and Enhancing the Recreation Ground

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Work has now begun on Phase 2 of The Rec Hub, marking another important milestone in Grayshott Parish Council’s long-term plan to improve recreation facilities for young people. As with all Council projects, the work will also take appropriate account of the surrounding landscape and habitats. Our trusted contractor began on site this week, undertaking the first major task: clearing the dense brambles that have long restricted the north-west corner of the Recreation Ground.

This clearance is already opening up the space, making way for two key improvements:

  • a new grass kick‑about area for casual football and informal play, and
  • an improved zone for storing sports equipment, supporting the growth of our well-loved local sports clubs.

The work will also include proportionate measures to care for the surrounding landscape and habitats as the new recreational space is created.

The contractor has begun removing brambles and scrub across the working area. The Council recognises the ecological value of bramble thickets and their role in the wider habitat mosaic of the Recreation Ground, as they provide shelter for birds, small mammals, and invertebrates. As part of Phase 2, the Council will improve bramble boundaries over time, retaining healthy sections where they provide habitat, while managing overgrown areas to prevent encroachment into recreational zones. This balanced approach supports both biodiversity and public use.

The Council will also be planting additional native hedging along the boundary of the new kick‑about space to strengthen habitat corridors and support pollinators and nesting birds.  Alongside this, the Council will be creating a dead hedge at the woodland edge. This traditional conservation technique uses cut branches and brash to form a natural barrier, protecting the adjoining ancient woodland from trampling, informal access, and dog intrusion. Dead hedges also provide excellent habitat for insects, fungi, and small mammals, contributing to the ecological richness of the site.

With the brambles cleared, the contractor will begin levelling and preparing the soil across the full working area in order to lay new turf. The new turf will create a smooth, safe surface suitable for casual football and everyday recreation. The public football goal will be refurbished and installed once the turf is established.

This kick‑about space responds directly to community feedback, offering a flexible, informal area for teens to gather, play, and stay active.

Phase 2 continues the Council’s investment in high‑quality, accessible recreation facilities for young people. By combining new play space with thoughtful ecological enhancements, the project strengthens both community wellbeing and environmental stewardship.

The works will continue over the coming weeks, with updates shared as progress is made. As the new kick‑about area takes shape and the boundary planting is established, The Rec Hub will become an even more welcoming, sustainable, and vibrant part of village life.