Work begins on Clarets training ground renovation

The club gained planning permission last summer to build a brand-new training complex on the existing footprint in Padiham, which falls within National Trust boundaries.

And after undergoing a recent name change to the Barnfield Training Centre, following a major sponsorship deal, Barnfield Construction Limited have now begun a year-long project to provide the club with top class facilities.

Burnley FC Stadium and Operations Manager Doug Metcalfe said: “It’s great news to finally be on site and we can start to see some progress, as it has been a long time in the making.

“We have spent four or five years developing plans for the training ground to move the club forward, and it won’t be long now before the site starts to take shape and we can begin to visualise the end result.

“We will hopefully be all completed in 12-14 months’ time, and when the players come back for pre-season in 2017, they will walk into a brand-new training facility.”

The development of the 73,000 m2 area will include new pitches and, crucially, the building of a dedicated new training centre to bring first class facilities for the first team, development squad and youth team players under one roof for the first time.

Clarets boss Sean Dyche added: “I understand as the manager we need to make sure things are right on the pitch, but there is a bigger picture to the club.

“This is a massive part of that and it’s a very exciting time for the club!

“Although we committed to the project some time ago, we still had to go through all the planning, which was thankfully achieved.

“All of a sudden it will all gather pace and there has been massive changes already.

“It’s amazing for us, as staff and players, coming out every day to see how quickly the landscape changes.”