AFC Bournemouth has earmarked Kings Park athletics stadium and its own training pitches as the site for its new home.

The club has been searching for a site to build a new larger capacity stadium in response to the added demands of its Premier League status, with various locations around the town rumoured to have potential.

Last week the Daily Echo reported on speculation that a new 25,000 stadium could be constructed in Kings Park, home of Cherries current Vitality Stadium, and the club has now confirmed it is working on these plans.

 The club is working with Bournemouth council on the plans, and there has been speculation that the borough might buy Vitality Stadium off current owner Structadene. The council's cabinet is due to discuss a confidential 'specific asset purchase opportunity' at a meeting on Wednesday next week.

AFC Bournemouth chief executive, Neill Blake, said: "This is a major investment programme, not only for the football club but also for the town and the region.

"Our preferred site to build the club’s new stadium is in Kings Park. There is still a long way to go in this process but we have overcome one of the biggest obstacles in identifying the area that we want to develop.

"We will now progress with detailed research and design for the new stadium, ahead of submitting the necessary planning application.

"Our original timescale of completion by the summer of 2020 remains, and we are currently working hard to provide our supporters with a bigger stadium and one that is befitting of a Premier League club."

Some months ago Cherries chairman Jeff Mostyn said the club had been given “very little choice’ but to move.

The club says it intends to submit a planning application next year, after public consultation and work to assess the impact additional traffic would have on the area.

The process would also look into the relocation of the athletics stadium, although the club said: "It is not the intention to utilise the current Vitality Stadium as the site for any relocated athletics track."

 Council leader John Beesley, said: "We are extremely proud of the achievements of AFC Bournemouth and we recognise the importance of the club to both residents and fans.

"We will continue to work with the club and do all that is appropriate to help them progress with their ambition to build a new stadium in Kings Park.

"This will involve discussions with all interested parties to ensure the needs of the club are met, alongside those of users of the park and the local community."

 

Source:bournemouthecho.co.uk

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