Ipswich Town training ground upgrade gets go-ahead
A plan to upgrade Ipswich Town's Playford Road training ground has been approved.The project will cost about £30m and is likely to take 14 months.It includes a new first team building and better facilities for the Academy and the women's teams.The club's chief executive, Mark Ashton, said he wanted to "break ground as quickly as possible now".
The Blues' training ground in Playford Road, on the edge of town in Rushmere St Andrew, opened in 2001.Following the first team's promotion to the Premier League, the chairman and Mr Ashton said the club needed "a multi-million pound spend on the facilities at the training ground to bring us up to speed".
An application was submitted to East Suffolk Council in November for a new "state-of-the-art" first team building, extended Academy facilities and an improved entrance.
In the planning application, the club said the position of buildings and pitches would "minimise impact on adjacent residents".Mr Ashton was "delighted to have these works approved and we are grateful for everyone's support"."Developing our training facilities is something we have spoken about since day one at the club," he said. "To continue the club's progress we need to attract, retain and develop elite players. We need first-class facilities to do that."
Mr Ashton added: "With development of the training ground being a key pillar of progression for the club, this substantial investment will enhance our facilities and environment for our first-team, Academy and women's players, and will be key to the delivery of Category One status for our Academy."He said he wanted construction work to start "as quickly as possible".Town's Premier League match at home to Nottingham Forest kicks off at 15:00 GMT on Saturday.Full commentary is available from BBC Radio Suffolk, via your FM or DAB radio, but we do not have the rights to stream commentary on the internet.
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