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Artificial Pitch Finance

Multi-sport artificial pitches cost from around £25,000 for a single multi-use games area to £700,000+ for a full-size floodlit hockey pitch, and because the surface is laid on prepared ground this is financed as an installation.

Can you finance a artificial pitch?

Yes, artificial pitchs are financed as a standard asset purchase, usually on hire purchase or a lease, with the machine itself acting as the security. UK prices typically run £25,000 to £700,000, and most deals are written over 24-72 months with a deposit of around 10-20%. Decisions typically take 3–5 working days. Used machines are financeable too, usually with a shorter term.

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Typical Cost

£25k – £700k

Approval Speed

3–5 working days

Up to a few weeks for a full-size floodlit pitch

Rates From

6.0% APR

What would a artificial pitch cost per month?

£120,000
10%
60 months
9%
£0

Your estimate

Indicative only. Not a quote and not an offer of finance.

Pre-filled with a typical artificial pitch price. Indicative only, not a quote.

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Finance options

Hire Purchase (HP)

Rate
6.0% - 10.5% per annum
Term
24-72 months
Deposit
10-20%
Ownership
Yours at the end
Best for
The genuinely moveable, demountable elements rather than the fixed structure itself

Finance Lease

Rate
5.5% - 9.9% per annum
Term
24-60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Return or buy (balloon payment)
Best for
Moveable plant and equipment components within a larger fit-out

Unsecured Business Loan

Rate
7.0% - 15.0% per annum
Term
12-60 months
Deposit
None required
Ownership
Not applicable, this is a loan rather than an asset agreement
Best for
Funding the pitch surface, sub-base, drainage and any fencing once laid and built as one construction project, which a lender will not recognise as security in the way it would a machine

Representative example

On a purchase price of £120,000: a 10% deposit of £12,000, then 48 monthly payments of £2,531 at 5.9% APR representative (fixed). Total amount payable £133,488, including the deposit. The rate you are offered depends on your business and the asset.

What buyers actually specify

Guide prices for sizing a finance agreement, not quotes. Manufacturers in this market mostly price on application, so where a current UK list price could not be confirmed the row describes a specification class rather than naming a model. Your supplier quote is what the agreement is written against.

Machine or specification Guide price Type
Single Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) £25,000 - £60,000 Multi-Use Games Area
Hockey or Tennis Artificial Surface (Full Court) £80,000 - £180,000 Full Court Surface
School or Community Multi-Sport Pitch £150,000 - £350,000 Multi-Sport Pitch
Full-Size Hockey Pitch with Floodlights £400,000 - £700,000 Full-Size Floodlit Pitch

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Tax benefits

How a an artificial pitch is taxed depends on how fixed it is. Genuinely moveable, demountable parts are generally treated as plant and machinery and can qualify for the Annual Investment Allowance, letting a business deduct their cost from taxable profits in the year of purchase, up to the current £1,000,000 annual limit. The pitch surface, sub-base and drainage laid as a construction project on the ground is usually treated as part of the building or the ground rather than as plant, so it does not qualify for AIA in the same way; a lower annual writing-down allowance on qualifying construction costs may be available instead, spread over a much longer period than an AIA deduction, and it is a separate claim from anything financed as equipment. A specialist accountant should confirm the treatment for your specific installation before you commit to a finance structure or claim an allowance.

Market context

Multi-sport artificial pitches, covering multi-use games areas, hockey and tennis surfaces and school sports pitches, are bought by schools, sports clubs, local authorities and community trusts, either building a first all-weather surface or replacing one that has reached the end of its playing life. The surface, sub-base, drainage and any surrounding fencing are installed together as one construction project rather than as freestanding equipment, so this is generally financed with an unsecured business loan or a loan secured against the site rather than conventional asset finance. Because a pitch is a major single invoice covering groundworks as well as the playing surface itself, spreading that cost protects a school or club's other budgets during construction. Replacement is driven by carpet wear, infill loss and a flattening playing surface affecting ball roll and player safety, rather than the pitch failing outright, and resurfacing an existing sub-base is a lower-cost route than a full rebuild where the underlying structure remains sound.

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Several of our 200+ lenders specialise in businesses with imperfect credit histories. You may need a larger deposit or personal guarantee, but options exist. Checking your options here does not affect your credit score, because we do not run a credit search to match you. A lender will run their own checks only if you decide to apply.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is an artificial pitch financed as a loan rather than as equipment?
The playing surface, sub-base, drainage and fencing are built together as one construction project laid onto and into the ground, rather than delivered as a freestanding machine that could be removed and resold. That makes a pitch a fixed installation for finance purposes, similar to a building project, which is why it is usually funded with an unsecured business loan or a loan secured against the site rather than through Hire Purchase or a lease.
Can I finance a resurfacing project rather than a full pitch rebuild?
Yes, and this is often a lower-cost option than a full rebuild where the sub-base and drainage remain in good condition and only the playing carpet needs replacing. Lenders will finance resurfacing projects in the same way as a new build, but the amount involved and therefore the loan size is usually significantly smaller, so it is worth having the sub-base assessed before assuming a full rebuild is needed.
What drives replacement of an artificial pitch surface?
Wear to the carpet fibres, loss of rubber or sand infill and a flattening playing surface are the main drivers, since these affect ball roll, bounce and player safety long before the surface fails completely. A pitch is generally inspected periodically to assess these factors, and replacement is planned around that assessment rather than waiting for a visible failure. Your broker can talk through how this applies to your specific artificial pitch purchase and recommend whichever finance structure best fits your business's plans for the equipment.
How does a school or club typically fund an artificial pitch alongside grant funding?
Many schools and clubs combine a loan with grant funding from sports governing bodies or local authority sources, using the loan to bridge the gap between the total project cost and any grant contribution, and to cover cash flow during construction before grant funds are released. It is worth discussing any grant application already in progress with your broker, since this can affect both the loan amount needed and its structure.
How quickly can artificial pitch finance be approved?
Given the scale and construction nature of a pitch project, applications typically take from several working days up to a few weeks once a full contractor quote and site plan is available. A smaller multi-use games area under roughly £60,000 can sometimes move faster, particularly for an established school or club with a clear funding plan. Having your last set of accounts, bank statements and a clear supplier quote ready before you apply is the single biggest thing you can do to keep a artificial pitch application moving at that pace, since most delays come from a lender waiting on paperwork rather than from the credit decision itself.

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