Southampton get go ahead for new training facilities

Fri 11th Feb 2011 | Football Stadiums & Facilities

Southampton Football Club received planning permission for the construction of new facilities at its Staplewood Training Ground.

The new training complex will simultaneously address the environmental and commercial ambitions of the Club, whilst creating a vibrant and dynamic learning hub that will help to provide Southampton with a Premier League club in years to come that is sustainable and based on the development of young and local talent.

This next exciting stage in the Club's development will mean that the Club's players - from the age of 8 upwards - will benefit from world class training facilities, which exceed current Premier League standards, in contemporary surroundings that will appeal to the highest class of professional footballers.

The generation of an exciting atmosphere within a building with a unique identity was a key driver of the project, whilst the plans remain sympathetic to the immediate environment. The design and facilities will ensure that the Club will become an industry leader in player development, coach education and sports medicine and science.

The plans also reaffirm the Club's commitment to a thriving Football Development and Support Centre that encourages the tangible progress of the younger age groups 'graduating' into the older academy groups.

Southampton hope the centre will be inspirational for all and will give the younger academy groups significant motivation and the tools to progress through the Football Development and Support Centre and beyond, into professional careers.

Club Spokesman Jordan Sibley said: "The Club would like to thank both the New Forest Council, and the residents of Marchwood for supporting our proposals.

“It was important to us that we complete this vision with a close relationship with them; because we are certain that the new facilities will not only make the Club very proud, but also the residents of Marchwood.

"Basic work has already started at the Staplewood site, with temporary buildings and accommodation already in place for the first team squad.

“Now that planning permission has been granted, the next stage is to immediately begin constructing additional temporary accommodation before demolishing the existing buildings in the coming months, with work set to start on the new structure around July. A period of nine to twelve months has been set aside for the construction process."

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