Shrewsbury Town Council is celebrating the success of its Turf-Tank line marking system, an innovative piece of technology that has transformed the way the council manages and maintains its sports pitches and green spaces.
Purchased in 2024 and anticipated to provide a return on investment by March 2026, the Turf-Tank has already proved to be a valuable piece of equipment for the Town Council. The system is now used to line mark all 64 football pitches across council-owned sites and on greenspaces where the Town Council is contracted to cut and prepare pitches for matches.
By switching to this GPS-guided system, the Council has reduced staff time spent on line marking by over 50%, allowing the team to dedicate more hours to other essential tasks. The Turf-Tank works by plotting each pitch design onto a tablet, which maps the exact position of the pitch on the ground. Using a GPS antenna, the Turf-Tank then ensures lines are marked with precision every time. This accuracy means pitches can now be prepared exactly when needed, rather than being dependent on staff availability.
The versatility of the system also extends beyond football. The tablet software includes the ability to design and mark out pitches for other sports, making it a flexible tool for the future of recreation in Shrewsbury.
In addition to its sporting role, the Turf-Tank has been used to deliver creative and impactful designs in Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park. Earlier this year, the Council created a maze on the grass near the historic Bandstand—designed digitally and then uploaded to the system. The Turf-Tank has also delivered a range of commemorative and community-focused messages, including:
Looking ahead, the team is preparing a special design for the Battle of Britain memorial event on Sunday 14th September, continuing to show how this technology can enhance public spaces in creative ways.
Mark Preece, Shrewsbury Town Council’s Recreation & Formal Space Manager, said:
“The Turf-Tank has been a game-changer for us. Its efficiency has allowed my team to deliver more, both for our sports users and the wider community. Not only has it cut down the time we spend line marking, but it also gives us the flexibility to create pitches and designs exactly when and where they’re needed. It’s been a fantastic investment that’s helping us achieve more with the resources we have.”
The success of the Turf-Tank reflects Shrewsbury Town Council’s commitment to combining innovation with tradition—supporting grassroots sport, enhancing the town’s green spaces, and delivering value for the community.
