Racecourse Playing Fields
🏟 Playground & park · Chaddesden, Derby
Racecourse Playing Fields
A free children's play area at Derby's Racecourse Hub, alongside a community cafe, meeting rooms and all-weather football pitches.
🕑 Opening & entry
🌱 Park and play area open daily. Cafe and bookable facilities operate to Racecourse Hub / Leisure United hours. · Free · No booking needed
📍 Location & directions
Address: Racecourse Hub, St Mark's Road, Derby, DE21 6AL
Plus Code: 9C4WWGJQ+29
About Racecourse Playing Fields
Racecourse Playing Fields sits on St Mark's Road to the north east of Derby city centre and is managed on behalf of Derby City Council by Leisure United. The site was transformed by an 11.9 million pound investment that opened the Racecourse Hub community building in February 2024, bringing together sport, play and community space. For families, there is a free children's play area on site, making it a handy stop alongside the wider facilities. The hub is best known as a football destination, with state-of-the-art artificial grass pitches that act as the central venue for the Derby Junior League and host mini soccer, youth and senior fixtures, plus pay-and-play sessions, coaching, holiday camps and football parties. The community building includes a cafe, additional community meeting spaces, changing rooms and toilets, with increased parking and improved entry and exit points added as part of the development. While the playground and park areas are free and open to the public, bookable sports activities are paid, and cafe and facility opening hours follow the Racecourse Hub schedule.
⭐ What makes this place special
- Community cafe
- Community meeting rooms
- Changing rooms
- AGP (artificial grass) football pitches
- Toilets
🏞 Facilities
- Free entry
- Parking: Free parking on site, with increased parking provided as part of the Racecourse Hub development.
- Toilets on site
- Café / refreshments
🧒 Ages & play
- Children's play area
📍 Nearby places to play
- Darley Park · approx 0.7 miles · Darley Abbey
- Roe Farm Recreational Ground · approx 0.7 miles · Chaddesden
- Darley Fields · approx 0.7 miles · Chester Green
Explore more:
❓ Frequently asked questions
Is the play area at Racecourse Playing Fields free?
Yes. It is a council-owned park with a free children's play area. Only bookable sports activities, such as pitch hire, are paid.
Is there parking?
Yes. Free parking is provided on site, and parking was increased as part of the Racecourse Hub development.
Is there a cafe and toilets?
Yes. The Racecourse Hub community building has a cafe, community meeting rooms, changing rooms and toilets.
Who manages the site?
It is managed by Leisure United on behalf of Derby City Council.
What else is on site?
There are state-of-the-art artificial grass football pitches used for the Derby Junior League, coaching, holiday camps and pay-and-play football.