By Lucas Ball
MILLWALL have revealed more details on their plan to re-locate the club’s training ground to West Kingsdown in Kent.
The Lions currently train at their Calmont Road base in Bromley but hope to formally submit plans this summer for the new base, with a decision targeted by autumn. Following that, it is hoped that construction can begin next summer before a move to the Kent ground in autumn of 2024.
Millwall’s statement on the new training ground website explains: “The majority of the Training Ground will comprise of open football pitches that will blend well into the surrounding landscape. The Academy will comprise medical, rehabilitation and treatment facilities, gym and training facilities, team and staff changing rooms, meeting rooms, press/media provision and other amenities for players and management and an indoor training pitch is also required for the players to train in during the winter and inclement weather. These are requirements of the Elite Player Performance Plan, a governing body for football clubs and the facilities proposed have been benchmarked against other similar facilities.
“The indoor training pitch will consist of a sleek yet discrete building located to the rear of the Site where it adjoins the M20.
“The Academy Building has been inspired by our study of local building forms and we have focused on creating a sympathetic roofscape to the indoor training pitch which reflects traditional agricultural buildings and neighbouring homes. The visual impact of the Academy Building has been carefully mitigated by planted mounds and flint-filled gabion walls.
“The aim then has been to develop a contemporary and unique design solution that is rooted in the local area, but that is also fit to meet the aspirations of a forward looking and dynamic football club looking to provide high quality training facilities for its players and the local community.”
It adds: “We aim to deliver a new state of the art Training Ground in West Kingsdown which will provide facilities for players which are fit for and in line with our long-term ambitions including achieving Premier League football status whilst also meeting the needs of the Club now.
“Millwall FC and our industry-leading Community Trust are seeking to widen existing outreach and consolidate our current training facilities with a permanent new training ground and Academy whilst maintaining the match day site at the Den.
“We chose West Kingsdown because of its excellent connectivity and because it can provide for the needs of a Training Ground, including offering a large enough site to accommodate the required football pitches and the privacy to the teams that train here.
“Alongside this, we hope to support the local community across West Kingsdown and Sevenoaks through the actions of the Millwall Community Trust, which already uses the power of sport to improve the lives of people in Lewisham, Southwark and the wider Millwall community.”
Full details of the Lions’ plans are available here.
Image: Millwall FC