Transforming Old Barn Way, Southwick
Welcome to our webpage about the transformation of Old Barn Way - the former home of Southwick Football Club. We're excited to see how the site will benefit the community once again and hope this page helps explain the plans for the project and the partners involved.
The future of Old Barn Way
We're working with the Russell Martin Foundation, the Football Foundation and the Premier League to transform the former home of Southwick Football Club into a multi-million pound community football facility.
Work is expected to begin this summer to create a modern football facility that will also host a variety of health, wellbeing and education programmes designed to benefit the local community.
The project will see the installation of a full-size 3G football pitch alongside the development of a new single-storey clubhouse, complete with modern changing rooms, a bar and kitchen.
Russell Martin Foundation, a Sussex-based charity dedicated to improving the lives of young people and adults through football and education, is central to the delivery of the scheme.
The charity, founded by former Norwich City, Rangers and Scotland footballer Russell Martin, recently won Best Sports Community Scheme of 2025 at the Sports Business Awards. Russell is now an active football club manager.
Recognising the long-term benefits for local people, the project is being delivered through a partnership between Adur District Council, the Russell Martin Foundation, the Football Foundation, West Sussex County Council and the Premier League Stadium Fund.
Photo: Southwick FC ground at Old Barn Way, Southwick
The current state of the site
The ground at Old Barn Way requires significant investment to bring it back into use as a modern football facility where local people can enjoy playing the beautiful game.
As owners of the site, we historically leased the ground to various tenants, but in more recent years there were management issues that affected how the site was maintained.
The last tenancy ended in 2020. We did not renew it as the tenant wasn't maintaining the site to our agreed standards. The building was also no longer fit for purpose and a survey of the pitch and the spectator areas confirmed that the site was not safe for sporting use.
As a result, we sealed off the site to prevent public access and began consulting with various stakeholders, including Sussex County Football Association, on possible next steps.
We undertook a marketing exercise to find a new tenant for the site and, following a shortlisting process and interviews, decided to partner with the Russell Martin Foundation - a registered charity using the power of football to help change people's lives.
To bring football back to the site in the short term, we released £50,000 of developer funding so that the Russell Martin Foundation could make the facility safe for use.
Since then, we have been working to secure funding, develop proposals for the new facility, and agree on final costs for the exciting community facility. Revised plans now present a comprehensive vision for the scheme as a whole.
Photo: Southwick FC club name on wall at the site in Old Barn Way, Southwick
The project partners
The transformation of Old Barn Way is being delivered through a partnership between local government, national football organisations and a community charity. Together, we're investing in the site to create a modern facility that will benefit local people for years to come.
Adur District Council: As the owner of the site, we're leading the project and working with our partners to bring football back to the ground. We are committing significant funding to the revival of Old Barn Way, which will become a valuable community asset.
Russell Martin Foundation: A Sussex-based charity that uses the power of football and education to improve the lives of young people and adults. The Foundation is also contributing significant funding to the project and will play a central role in delivering community programmes at Old Barn Way, including football sessions, education opportunities, and health and wellbeing initiatives.
The Football Foundation: Backed by the Premier League, The FA and the government, the charity funds grassroots football facilities across England. The foundation is contributing £2m to help deliver a high-quality 3G pitch and modern facilities that will support football participation in the local area.
Premier League Stadium Fund: The fund supports improvements to stadiums and football facilities across the football pyramid. Its contribution is helping to fund the development of the new clubhouse and supporting facilities at Old Barn Way.
West Sussex County Council: The council shares our vision for the new community facility and has helped unlock £500,000 of funding through pooled business rates as part of the Growth Deal for Adur.
Photo: The Russell Martin Foundation will be running community football sessions at Old Barn Way
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: When will the new football facility at Old Barn Way open?
A: Development of the new facility is expected to begin in summer 2026. We hope the facility will open to the community in August 2027.
Q: Will the facility be open to the public?
A: When the Russell Martin Foundation isn't hosting community sessions on the pitch, local people and teams will be able to book the facility and play football there.
Q: How much money is being invested into the project?
A: In total, approximately £3.8m has been allocated to the Old Barn Way project by the partners, with £2m coming from the Football Foundation. Adur District Council, the Russell Martin Foundation, the Premier League Stadium Fund and West Sussex County Council are the other major funders of the project.
Q: How large is the football ground at Old Barn Way?
A: Being the former home of Southwick FC, the ground at Old Barn Way hosts a full-size football pitch suitable for 11-a-side matches. The plan is to mark out a number of smaller pitches on the ground so that on other occasions multiple smaller-sided matches and training sessions could take place at the same time.
Q: Will there be toilets and changing facilities at the ground?
A: Yes, the new single-storey clubhouse will host toilets and changing rooms.
Q: Will parking be available at Old Barn Way?
A: Yes, the facility will share the existing adjacent car park with Southwick Leisure Centre.
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Page last updated: 18 March 2026