Demolition is start of new era for playing fields

Changing rooms knocked down for leisure revamp

Work is under way to restore once popular Paisley sports fields to their former glory.

Demolition of the changing rooms at St James playing fields began last week, ahead of a move by Renfrewshire Council to upgrade the site, which is set to take place later this year.

Once popular with generations of youngsters, the renovations will see new changing facilities built for four pairs of teams, alongside landscaping works, as well as road access improvements.

Four full-size football pitches will also be reinstated and operated by sports and leisure organisation OneRen.

Work is part of a wider investment in sports facilities around Renfrewshire, which has seen a new 4G surface created at Ferguslie Sports Centre.

The St James pitches have seen the silky football skills of many of the area’s youngsters honed on the site before they fell out of favour over deteriorating conditions.

One Paisley resident told the Express: “It’s where everybody who played football went.

“Everybody under the age of about 60 has played on the St James fields and used these changing facilities but they haven’t been used now for years.

“There must have been 12 or 13 pitches there are one time but then that whole area was supposed to be part of where they were building the rail extension for Glasgow Airport.”

The much-discussed airport rail link has never gone ahead.

Commenting on the redevelopment, a spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said: “Work is now under way on a project which will bring St James Playing Fields back into use with new and improved facilities for local footballers.

“That will see the old and outdated pavilions demolished and replaced with new changing facilities for four pairs of teams, along with landscaping works, and improvements to the road and parking.”

The spokesperson added: “We’ll also reinstate four full-size football pitches, to be operated by OneRen, adding to their extensive network of more than 20 natural grass pitches at 11 venues across Renfrewshire, as well as various synthetic surfaces at local schools and leisure centres.”

The demolition is expected to be ongoing until around early March, with the project expected to be completed in late 2023.