Building work is set to begin in January 2019 on three community football hubs in Sunderland.

The £18.04m project is being funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and Sunderland City Council – with The Football Foundation overseeing the project delivery.

The three hubs – Community North Sports Complex in Downhill, the Northern Area Playing Fields in Washington and a centre in Ford Quarry – will together provide a total of 10 full-size, floodlit 3G synthetic turf pitches for the city.

Ford Quarry and Community North Sports Complex will each have three pitches, while Northern Area will host four – one of which can also be used for contact rugby.

Each site will feature a hub/pavilion building with changing facilities, café and social and education spaces, which will be available to the whole community.

The Community North Sports Complex will also include a health and fitness club.

A commercial operator will be appointed to take on the management of the three hubs once they are built. The hubs will be owned in partnership by Sunderland City Council and a newly established charitable Football Trust for the city.

“At a time when there is pressure on budgets it is fantastic news to announce the significant level of investment into the city. The hubs will provide amazing opportunities for all ages to play on first class facilities," said Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council.