New Training Ground | Vital Football

New Training Ground

SeasideEssexXile

SeasideEssexXile

Vital Football Legend
Some long over due news.

Blackpool Football Club have bought nearly 100 acres of land for a new training facility.
The site connects Blackpool and Poulton-le-Fylde along Garstang Road, bordered by the Grange Park Estate and Baines School.
The club want to build a bespoke building with areas for coaching, fitness, medical and education.
There will also be six grass pitches and one full size artificial pitch for under-18 games.
The club said a planning application would be submitted "at the earliest opportunity".
Blackpool FC owner Simon Sadler said: "Since the very first day that I became the custodian of this football club, my priority has been to deliver a training facility that integrates the academy right through to the first team.
"I have always maintained that our future success is being built upon three pillars - coaching, recruitment and the academy. This new training facility is integral to that."
 
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Well they've made us wait, but looks like it's hopefully going to be worth it.

100 acres is a significant investment, even if on AVFTT the initial measurements look more like 50acres is the training ground - it just looks like some a professionally run Championship club would do. It still feels so alien.

People are going to (and already are in other threads!) getting frustrated that we aren't going to be throwing £5m+ signings around - but with the level of investment needed in the stadium and elsewhere, i'd rather we did this with sustainable growth but ensure the infrastructure is built up.

I'm certain this is what is keeping Critch around - what an opportunity as a coach to be able to rebuild a club from top to bottom, he can design the training ground exactly as he wants.
 
Critch could also make a lot pf money as a % of sell ons.

My only disappointment is that the fields are where I spent a lot of my childhood in FY6
 
Hastings said:
Critch could also make a lot pf money as a % of sell ons.

My only disappointment is that the fields are where I spent a lot of my childhood in FY6
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Awww, I can just visualise you as a little boy Nige; running around in your little grey flannel shorts....
 
0_Blackpool-FC-Site-Map.jpg

Map of the proposed ground



Planning documents paving the way for Blackpool Football Club’s new training ground have revealed environmental challenges to the scheme.
The 69 acre site between Blackpool and Poulton is currently agricultural land located within the designated greenbelt, and contains two biological heritage sites. Following submission of a screening opinion document, Blackpool and Wyre Councils which each have planning jurisdiction over the site, have jointly agreed an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required.
However further ecology reports should be submitted when the planning application is submitted, including habitat surveys and wildlife assessments. The football club’s proposals include eight full-size training pitches, a half-size indoor pitch, a smaller nine-a-side pitch, two smaller goalkeeper training spaces and an eco-friendly training centre with classrooms, medical areas, office space and a gym.


The training ground would be accessed from Steeton Road on the Grange Park housing estate, and stretch to the back of Baines School in Poulton. Consultation events have revealed some residents were concerned about the loss of open space.
Documents say there are two Biological Heritage Sites (BHS) which are the Dinmore Avenue Swamp and Fields, and Poulton-le-Fylde Pond Cluster, with the presence of key species of snails and dragonflies at the latter location.


The development “would result in the loss of both BHS sites”, with the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit (GMEU) warning “this loss would constitute significant harm to the natural environment.”
A public right of way across the land would also have to be diverted if the development gets the go ahead.
Documents setting out a joint decision by both councils add: “This land is known as being popular with the community for dog walking and use for connectivity to the wider community.”

But the decision notice, issued on behalf of both councils, concludes that taking account of all the factors outlined “it is considered that the proposed development (by reason of its magnitude and spatial extent; nature, intensity and complexity of the impact) would not result in a significant environmental effect that would need to be subject of an EIA”.

This is “subject to this being demonstrated by further ecology studies as set out above. “
 
Something else to moan about. "Poulton-le-Fylde Pond Cluster, with the presence of key species of snails and dragonflies at the latter location. " There are 4 ponds there that I remember none big and none thriving in my days as a kid fishing or playing in the fields next to the park. Snails is that for real?

This looks like another long long long project :-(
 
Housing developments are sprouting up around everywhere, in very similar situations to this. Not enough in it for backhanders probably.
 
They set out proposals for a two-storey training facility building, indoor pitch, single storey ground staff building, single storey ancillary and storage buildings, 10 outdoor pitches, along with associated infrastructure including floodlights, on-site parking for 120 cars, footpaths, fencing and a new access off Steeton Road.

Eight of the outdoor pitches would be full-size, with an indoor pitch contained by an inflatable structure for use by the first team and academy players.
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Planning permission now submitted. Moving in the right direction.
 
My old school cross country course. It was surrounded/criss crossed with dykes containing water voles, newts and the odd rusty old bike and a few shopping trolleys. Cows were grazed on here so it has had lots of natural fertiliser.

Also part of it was the old Fylde Farm borstal or Reformatory School. The little b*st*rds would chuck spuds at you as you were running through. 🏃‍♂️🥔
 
Layton_Seasider said:
My old school cross country course. It was surrounded/criss crossed with dykes containing water voles, newts and the odd rusty old bike and a few shopping trolleys. Cows were grazed on here so it has had lots of natural fertiliser.

Also part of it was the old Fylde Farm borstal or Reformatory School. The little b*st*rds would chuck spuds at you as you were running through. 🏃‍♂️🥔
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That must be the Blackpool side not Poulton side as there were no dykes
 
Hastings said:
That must be the Blackpool side not Poulton side as there were no dykes
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The borough boundary stone is on Poulton Road just after the petrol station and before Blackpool Old Road, so nearly all of it is Wyre. Only where the entrance will be which is on Grange Park, where my school was, is Blackpool. There was certainly a lot of dykes that side, I've waded through lots of them in the middle of winter and through the brambles too.

Picture for reference, the purple boundary line under where the word Poulton is and the parallel light blue line under the P is what I'm referring to.
 

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