As the only secondary school in Conwy without an all-weather playing facility, Ysgol y Creuddyn previously suffered regular disruptions to curricular and community sport during the winter months due to poor ground conditions.  The new floodlit pitch allows year-round use while the two-team changing hub provides modern facilities for home and visiting teams.  

The £1.98 million project was funded by Conwy County Borough Council, the Welsh Government’s Community Focused Schools initiative, Sport Wales’ Pitch Collaboration Fund (supported by Welsh Government funding) and the Cymru Football Foundation.

Cllr Aaron Wynne, cabinet member for Education at Conwy County Borough Council, says: 'This investment represents a significant enhancement in improving local sporting infrastructure, improving access to sport and physical activity for both Ysgol y Creuddyn and the wider Penrhyn Bay community. The all-weather pitch will ensure pupils and local clubs can enjoy reliable, high-quality facilities 12 months of the year, supporting health, wellbeing and community cohesion both now and for many years to come.'

Delivered via the UK Leisure Framework, which is owned and managed by Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL), the project was completed in just seven months. The scheme includes a floodlit Artificial Grass Pitch with six 14-metre columns, perimeter fencing, storage and landscaped acoustic screening.

A new modular changing pavilion provides high-quality facilities for players, officials and community users. It features two changing rooms with showers and WCs, a dedicated three-person officials’ changing room, accessible changing and shower facilities, a community room with kitchenette and an accessible WC with external access. The site also includes a dedicated spectator area and associated hard and soft landscaping to create an inviting and inclusive environment for everyone.

Ysgol y Creuddyn will manage the facility for curricular and extracurricular activities, while Ffit Conwy, the Council’s dedicated leisure services division, will oversee community access outside of school hours, managing bookings for the pitch and pavilion.

Greg Walker, business development manager at Alliance Leisure, said: 'This project is a great example of what can be achieved when partners come together with a shared vision for community sport. The new 3G pitch spells the end of game cancellations or suspensions due to poor weather, creating a reliable, year-round asset. It not only enhances the school’s sports provision but also creates a valuable hub for local clubs and community groups, ensuring greater participation and long-term impact.'

Alliance Leisure brought together a specialist team of leisure development experts for the project. These included Surfacing Standards Ltd who led the pitch design, supported by architectural services from Bradshaw, Gass & Hope. Axiom PM provided project management and quantity surveying expertise, while construction was delivered by Hunts Contractors, specialists in natural and synthetic sports pitches. The changing hub was provided by Springfield Modular Buildings.