West Ham United, a renowned football club, have been given the green light to construct a new training building at their Rush Green site. The approval was granted by Havering Council following the club’s planning application.
The club, whose matchday attendances and football streaming viewership numbers place them among the biggest clubs in the country, applied on September 27 to erect the new facility on their existing training ground located in Rush Green Road, Romford.
This development comes after previous plans for the building were approved by the council back in June 2018 but were unable to be implemented due to Covid-related complications.
In October 2021, a second permission was granted and remained valid. However, West Ham sought changes to this approved scheme which necessitated filing a fresh proposal.
According to a planning statement attached with the current application, this site was originally owned by Ford United Football Club as a private sports ground before being taken over by West Ham in 2009. Over time it has served as training grounds for youth and reserve teams and is currently used as base camp for both men’s first team and under-21s team.
A report from a planning officer suggested that while initially intended for use by West Ham Ladies, it will be earmarked specifically for the under-21s team.
The proposed changes will result in minor increases in both footprint size and overall height of the development. Despite being built on green belt land – where government policy encourages use only if fulfilling green belt objectives – it is believed that this project aligns with these goals due to its role in supporting outdoor sports opportunities provided by West Ham’s occupation of the overall ground.
The officer’s report also noted that neighbouring occupiers were consulted about these plans but no letters of representation were received against them.
The new structure will appear similar to other buildings in the vicinity and will prominently feature the club’s branding. This ensures continuity and reinforces West Ham’s presence in the area.
Havering Council officially approved the application on November 30, albeit with eight conditions attached. This marks a significant step forward for West Ham United as they continue to invest in their infrastructure, providing enhanced facilities for their teams.
This development is sure to excite sports fans alike as it signals an investment not only into the physical infrastructure of the club but also into its future talent. The new training building will undoubtedly play a crucial role in nurturing young players who could become future stars of football.
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