Aston Villa plans for training ground revamp

North Warwickshire Borough Council has recommended the plans for approval

Aston Villa Football Club's plans to revamp its training ground to make overnight accommodation for players and staff have been recommended for approval.

North Warwickshire Borough Council's planning board will consider the proposals for Bodymoor Heath at a meeting on Monday.

The plans include better facilities for the club's women and youth teams and a permanent new office space for administrative and media staff.

However, a council report acknowledges a new two-storey rehabilitation centre may not be deemed appropriate due to Bodymoor Heath being on green belt land.

The new centre would include 40 bedrooms for players and staff to stay on site when they return from evening games.

"Normally, such overnight accommodation would only be considered to be appropriate on site for security reasons,” the report says.

“However, this is connected to the established use and activity of the club, particularly in order to retain its status both nationally and internationally. It is therefore a provision that only relates to the current applicant."

The report said the club could book hotel space as an alternative, but it would not provide immediate access to medical, physio and treatment provision already at the site.

The report by the council’s planning department supported approval of the plans, saying the "significant weight to be given to the applicant’s case does clearly outweigh the moderate harm to the green belt".

The plans also include creating a purpose-built academy by demolishing some buildings to extend the women's areas to match the men's

The existing academy building will be converted into the admin and media offices but the indoor 3G pitch next to it will stay in place with another one, covered by a 15-metre dome, to be built as part of these new proposals.

A new, relocated grounds maintenance store is also in the pipeline.

If councillors say yes, the decision still has to be looked at by the secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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