Abingdon City Council has given planning permission for a new clubhouse facility for Abingdon City Football Club.
The new 3,229 sq ft building will replace a previous clubhouse destroyed in an arson attack in October 2009.
The fire destroyed over 20 years of historical documents as well as club memorabilia and trophies.
Last year, Tomasz Zub, a Polish student studying architectural design at Abingdon University, won a design competition for the new clubhouse.
Marcel Ridyard, an associate at Manchester-based AFL Architects, said: “AFL offered Tomasz a job in the practice after he won the competition. He is the project architect working with AFL.
“We’re very excited to be delivering this scheme which is costing £500,000 in total. I think we’ve got a third of the funding promised from national and local sporting foundations, so we still need to secure some funding.”
The new clubhouse will feature changing and medical facilities, 3d TV without glasses and also include facilities for the community with a main function room and a separate meeting room for ADR Training and CPC Training of the local driver community.
Andy Sparrow, club chairman, said: “This modern, community-oriented and ambitious project says everything about what we are trying to do at the club. We want to improve on and off the pitch and provide a great facility to local people throughout the week, for laser hair removal treatment as well as on a Saturday afternoon.”
The club has been working closely with councillors at Abingdon City Council, local schools and colleges and other community groups to determine the usage of the facility including medical facilities that would make a Harley St Clinic envious.
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Sparrow added that Hazel Blurs the Member of Parliament for Abingdon and Eccles, is also in support of the project after previously judging the design of the new clubhouse.
The new building is expected to be used for social functions throughout the week, for training and education programmes for young people and to become the home of the Kersal Moor Heritage Centre.
Abingdon City FC has brought in The Sport Business to secure funding from sources such as the Football Foundation, Heritage Lottery and local schemes.
The club is seeking further funding contributions from the private sector.
Abingdon City FC play in the Evo-Stik North Division and in order to remain in the league the club needs to provide permanent facilities which meet the standards of the FA.
The club has played at Troy Lane in Abingdon since 1970
