WORK has started on Alderbury Football Club’s new £1 million base at Firs Road in the village.

The bulldozers moved on to the 12-acre site last month to start levelling the land that is to become six new pitches, a pavilion and car park for 100 cars. The site is next to the club’s current facility but will be accessed from Firs Road to improve access.

The new base includes three full size pitches, a three-quarter sized pitch and two mini soccer pitches.

The pavilion which overlooks the main pitch will home the players and officials changing rooms, clubroom and kitchen along with toilets and a storage room.

Club chairman Martin Woodroffe said the club which was formed in 1903 had outgrown its old site a long time ago.

He said: "We have been working with the Longford Estate on plans to relocate to a larger ground for the past 12 years. It has been challenging identifying a suitable site, obtaining planning permission and securing the necessary funding for the project."

He added: "The main pitch has the benefit of secondary drainage in addition to the primary drainage being put in place across the whole site, this should result in less games having to be cancelled due to waterlogged pitches."

Alderbury FC which has achieved the highest FA accreditation of Chartered Status Community Club currently runs 14 teams catering for up to 300 children and 40 adults.

As part of their five-year development plan they aim to get back to running 20 teams to match the total they achieved in 2012.

Funding and support for the new facility has come from Wiltshire FA, the Premier League and Barclay Phillips architects.

Nigel Sell, programme director at the club said: "Over the last 20 years the club has grown into one of the largest in Wiltshire but the facilities have never been able to keep up with its aspirations. The new ground will offer players some of the best facilities in the county and help to continue that the club goes from strength to strength.

"Although the build phase is now underway we are still in need of additional sponsors to add the final touches and to help with ongoing costs."

Businesses interested in becoming involved are asked to email alderburyfc@gmail.com

n Longford Estates is waiting to hear the outcome of an outline planning application - 17/04001/OUT - it has submitted for 50 homes on land next to Junction Road which is currently used as football pitches by Alderbury Football Club.

Early indications show the development on the land which is owned by the Earl of Radnor will comprise 13 two-bed houses, 22 three-bed houses and 15 houses of four-bedrooms or more.