Huddersfield’s £20m revamp of training ground
HUDDERSFIELD TOWN have revealed plans for a major overhaul of their training facilities that could cost up to £20m.
The Terriers, Yorkshire’s sole top-flight representatives, hope to finish the work at Canalside in time for the start of the 2020-21 season.
Plans include the construction of a new first-team building, which will include changing rooms, a hydrotheraphy suite, gymnasiums, medical and an analysis theatre.
A new media suite, dining area and offices will also be created in a building that the club say will be a “modern interpretation of the Victoria Tower on Castle Hill”, one of Huddersfield’s most iconic landmarks.
Dean Hoyle and the board have committed £15m-£20m to the project, the first phase of which will be the creation of a brand new pitch on land recently acquired to the north east of the facilities site. Chief executive Julian Winter said: “This represents a very significant investment from the chairman and the football club in turning PPG Canalside into an elite sports environment.
“We are a club that prides itself on developing players and this state-of-the-art training complex will be a huge asset to the technical staff in that goal.”
A public exhibition of the plans took place last night at Canalside, where supporters were invited to give their views on the project.
Town trained at Storthes Hall before buying the current site in 2011.
The club say a proposal to improve the facilities at the nearby Leeds Road Sports Complex is being worked on.
The public provision for bowls and snooker players currently available at Canalside will be offered at the new site under the plan.
Chief executive Winter added: “We are also a club that prides itself on being at the heart of its community, and we are equally committed to continuing to provide great facilities for the fans and wider people of Kirklees to use.
“As such, we are planning to switch the existing public-facing element of PPG Canalside to brand new, dedicated facilities that we are funding and planning alongside Kirklees Council and Kirklees Active Leisure at a newlook Leeds Road Sports Complex, which I hope we can share in the near-term.”