Leicester City plans approved
CHARNWOOD Borough Council’s lead member for inward investment has welcomed Leicester City Football Club’s plan to create a state-of-the-art training facility in the borough.
The council’s plans committee granted the club’s planning application conditional permission at a meeting on Thursday night (October 11).
The £100m development is due to be built near Seagrave on the site of the former Park Hill Golf Course and was approved despite more than 170 objections to the proposal including fears about light pollution from floodlights and the impact of extra traffic on nearby rural roads. The club wants to build: • A covered show pitch with 499 seats, spectator toilets and an elevated camera platform. • 12 full size football pitches. • Six part-size size grass pitches. • One attacking area. • Five warm-up and training areas. • A sports hall. • A training centre to be used by the first team and academy with hydrotherapy, medical, rehabilitation and dining facilities.
• It will also have education facilities, offices, and 30 bedrooms for the players and man- agement.
• 421 parking spaces with eight coach parking bays with disabled and electric car parking spaces.
• The UK’s first sports turf academy to train groundsmen.
Coun Eric Vardy, lead member for planning and inward investment, said: “This represents a significant investment in the borough of Charnwood and builds on our reputation for sporting excellence which already has a global profile thanks to Loughborough University.
“It is further evidence that the Charnwood economy is thriving and our borough can attract businesses and organisations that have worldwide appeal.
“A strong community needs a strong economy and investment like this should be welcomed.
“It is also pleasing to see an investment in the local environment with the proposal including the planting of some 38,000 trees as part of the development.”
A Leicester City spokesman said: “The club welcomes the approval of its proposals by the planning committee and the opportunity to deliver on its pledge of a world-class facility befitting Leicestershire’s traditions of sporting excellence.
“We hope to make this the start of a strong relationship for the collective benefit of our surrounding communities.”