Winton Park upgrade plans given go-ahead
WINTON Park is set to be a busy place once this football season concludes.
However, it won’t all be down to the successful Ardrossan Winton Rovers first team.
While Gavin Friels will be spending the close season working to add new faces to his squad for life in the West of Scotland Football League’s First Division, the summer is also set to see wholesale changes at the ground itself.
It comes after proposals to redevelop the club’s home ground were given the go-ahead by North Ayrshire Council planners.
Three key changes are set to come as part of the development, the first one being replacing the current grass surface with a synthetic pitch.
The current floodlighting system at the ground will also be replaced.
With the installation of an artificial surface expected to lead to an increase in usage, new modular changing rooms also form part of the plans.
Approval of the plans is a major step in completing the works which have been in the pipeline since late 2022.
We first reported on the Winton Park redevelopment plans in December that year, when the Ardrossan Community Sports Hub (ACSH) launched a bid to secure part-funding for the project.
As part of the project the ACSH will lease the ground from Winton Rovers for 25 years.
The hub secured £100,000 in funding towards the £540,000 project from North Ayrshire Council’s community investment fund
in February 2023, with the aim of having all funding in place by last month.
It is hoped that the redevelopment can provide a major boost for sport in the area, both at a senior and youth level.
Supporting documents lodged with the formal planning application stated: “The club also has a thriving and successful youth academy with 17 teams currently, including a women’s section.
“Currently the club have to pay for facilities at other council and community sports clubs’ facilities. This places a significant burden on the club.
“The delivery of the enhancement would result in significant economic benefit to the club, thereby ensuring its financial viability, provide a high standard
of amenity in the Ardrossan area and allow the club to meet, and further increase, its members needs and introduce a high level facility to the local community and wider population.”
It is also stated that replacing the current “vintage” floodlighting at the ground will provide further benefit by allowing the facility to be used until 10pm seven days a week.
The supporting document states: “As cross-pitch play would be possible on the new surface, four age group squads could be in play at any one time.
“It has, therefore, been identified that four changing rooms would be required to service the use pattern.
“Ancillary accommodation for officials, a manager office and
storage would also be required.
“The existing changing facilities, within the stand building, will be maintained. New changing facilities will, therefore, required to be provided elsewhere.
“To meet funding targets, an economic solution to this is required. It is, therefore, proposed to install a single storey prefabricated modular changing unit, located discreetly adjacent to the high-level boundary walling to the north of the existing stand building.
“The unit will be craned into place, onto a prepared base, and will then connect into on-site services.”
The plans can be viewed in full via the council’s online planning portal searching for reference 24/00173/PP.