WORKS have kicked off on a £500,000 project to redevelop a Warwick football club’s ground.
Warwick District Council is working in partnership with Racing Club Warwick in a bid to improve their Hampton Road facilities.
They hope to not only extend the club’s existing facilities but also open them up to groups and those in the wider community.
Stage one of the project will see the removal of redundant and derelict buildings, the tarmacing and levelling of the site and the erection of a new perimeter fence and gates.
The next phase will be to install new floodlights, changing room facilities, new FA compliant dugouts and covered seating for supporters.
And subject to further funding bids being successful, plans have also been mooted to use the main bar area as a community hall and bring a children’s nursery onto the site as part of phase three.
Funding for the work is being drawn from several sources including the Football Association.
Leader of Warwick District Council, Andrew Mobbs, said: “I am delighted to see the improvement plans for Racing Club Warwick come to fruition and to be working together with the football club to provide facilities which will not only meet their needs, but also those of the local community.”
Gary Vella, of Racing Club Warwick, added: “This is, at last, an opportunity to create new community football facilities to enhance the development of football in the area.
“This project will help generate wider community benefit through football, sports and non-sports community activities, particularly in the areas of health and well-being, education skills and employment, social inclusion and volunteering.”
If all the funding bids are successful, it is hoped the works could be complete by 2017.
