New £7m community facility opens near Shinfield

A brand new £7 million community facility has opened near Shinfield, providing a new pavilion building to accompany future sports pitches.

Located in High Copse near Shinfield, the new pavilion provides changing rooms, a large function room and a kitchen/bar.

Two football pitches will be ready to use from September 2025 and a full-size cricket pitch will be available from April 2026, helping to meet growing demand from local sports clubs.

The facility has been provided by the University of Reading as part of the Shinfield West housing development. It will be managed and maintained by Shinfield Parish Council, who has now taken charge of the building.

The pavilion will be available for local sports and community groups, and also for private hire. 

Cllr Ian Clarke, Chair of Shinfield Parish Council’s Facilities Committee, said: “We are delighted to have taken on the management of High Copse Pavilion, which will be an excellent addition to the facilities available to the residents of the parish. We thank the University of Reading for providing such a high quality building.”

Local residents had the chance to feed into the plans for the site, following a public consultation held by the University and Shinfield Parish Council in January 2023.

Molli Cleaver, Community Engagement Manager at the University of Reading, said: “The University is pleased to provide this new community facility for the residents of Shinfield and the surrounding areas.

“We know that local sports clubs are in need of more facilities as they grow their members. The new pavilion and sports pitches will help support that expansion and the long-term future of sport and recreation in the area.”

Landscape planting around the site has also been installed.

An official opening event will take place later in the year, once the sports pitches are ready to be played on.

In May 2023, the University and Shinfield Parish Council officially opened the Manor Ground sports facility in Shinfield, which is now home to Shinfield Cricket Club.