PLANS have been submitted to build a new high quality sports facility for Swanage Town and Herston FC and the wider community.

The football club previously approached land owners Swanage Town Council in 2019 to help establish a multi-purpose leisure centre at the ground but this was scaled back due to rising costs.

As part of the plans, outdated buildings would be demolished and replaced with a four-court sports hall incorporating changing/club rooms and facilities for the football club, as well as a fitness room, crèche, a first-floor club room with a kitchen and bar as well as a reception and office space.

The current facility includes an indoor sports hall which was formerly used by a range of other sports clubs but has been closed since 2020 due to its poor condition.

Poole-based agent for Swanage Town Council, Lionel Gregory Architects, said: “It has long since been accepted that the existing facility on site was not fit for purpose and needed to be replaced.

The design for the new facility Picture: Lionel Gregory Architects

“Numerous attempts have been made to facilitate this which have floundered due to funding restrictions.

“In conjunction with the applicant, the football club and local contractor Jade Aden Services Ltd, we have developed a costed proposal for a new facility which will meet the requirements and recommendations from Sport England, sports halls design and layouts design guidance.”

The latest plans would see the facility extended to the south over the existing parking area and marginally to the west over the existing pitch.

A pitch-side view of the proposed new facility Picture: Lionel Gregory Architects

To facilitate this, the pitch would be moved slightly towards the existing dug outs on the opposite side which the applicant said would comply with FA ground recommendations.

It has been confirmed the site is home to badgers with an extensive active sett network found in the south-east corner of the site, and the applicant says that, if plans are approved, provisional arrangements would be made for a temporary sett closure during the six-month period when works that could affect the sett would take place.

Once work is complete, the sett would be re-opened to allow badgers back onto the land.

To view and comment on the plans, visit dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and search planning reference P/FUL/2024/05922.