Lichfield's Cabinet will not fund an athletics track despite a 1,195-signature petition. Campaigners may pursue a cheaper Active Track on private land.
Lichfield District Council will not fund or run a new athletics track, despite a petition signed by 1,195 people. Its Cabinet took that decision on Tuesday 3 November.
Instead, it invited the organiser or a community group to look at a cheaper Active Track on privately owned land, and then to bid for developer money (Cabinet decisions, 3 November 2026).
The decision takes effect on 12 November unless it is called in (council decisions register).
Why the council said no
The petition suggested Lichfield Sports Club or Lichfield Leisure Centre as possible sites. Officers checked it against the Local Plan, the playing pitch strategy and advice from England Athletics. They concluded that the evidence does not show enough strategic need (Cabinet report on the petition).
England Athletics told the council that:
- Lichfield district is not a priority area for new facilities
- travel of up to 20 miles to a track is generally reasonable
- any new facility should show it can pay its way in the long term
- it has no capital funding programme for this kind of project
The report lists four tracks that it says fall within that catchment. All are outside the district:
| Track | From Lichfield | From Burntwood |
|---|---|---|
| Wyndley Leisure Centre | 9 miles | 12 miles |
| Tamworth Athletics Stadium | 10 miles | 20 miles |
| Shobnall Leisure Complex | 15 miles | 19 miles |
| Stafford Athletics Stadium | 18 miles | 15 miles |
The report accepts that running is popular. Sport England figures show around a quarter of residents run each year. But it argues that those runners mostly use parks and paths, and that the figures do not show demand for a formal track.
What each option would cost
These are England Athletics’ starting estimates, as quoted in the report. None includes maintenance or repairs.
| Option | Estimated cost from |
|---|---|
| Full 400m track | £1,041,986 |
| Equipment and field construction for a full track | £92,000 |
| 400m Active Track | £96,487 |
The council has no budget for any of them. Its report also did not recommend building an Active Track on its own land, saying the evidence does not make it a priority.
What an Active Track is
It is an all-weather, accessible fitness trail around the edge of a park or open space, for walking, jogging, running and cycling. It is not a competition track.
The report says the petition organiser has now moved away from a full track, and that an Active Track is preferred.
What happens next
The council says it will offer advice on planning the project, setting up a community organisation and finding grants. It says clearly that there can be no guarantee of money.
The obvious source is the Community Infrastructure Levy, the charge on new development. Sport is one of four priorities for the next round, which the council proposes to open this month, with awards going to Cabinet in March 2027 (Infrastructure Funding Statement report). Our report on this year’s developer money has the details.
A project would first need a landowner. The council’s own risk table lists failing to find one as the first risk.
What it means for you
- No council-run track is coming. Runners and clubs will keep travelling to Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Burton or Stafford.
- A smaller version is possible, but only if a community group takes it on and finds both land and funding.
- If you signed the petition, the council’s report is the fullest account of its reasoning. The decision can still be called in before it takes effect on 12 November.
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