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The News:

Pompey plans are welcomed

05 June 2008
By
Rob Dabrowski

PLANS for the new Pompey training ground were welcomed with open arms at a
public meeting.
More than 100 people packed into last night's meeting to hear about the
multi-million pound proposal for the Alver Valley and to grill the team
behind it.

The proposed £8m facilities were welcomed by the majority and the few
dissenting voices were booed by the crowd, a handful of whom were decked
out in blue T-shirts.

Portsmouth FC chief executive Peter Storrie, the architect behind the
design and the project manager talked residents through plans and answered
questions at the meeting at Lee Community Centre.

The majority spoke out in favour of the facilities, which will be
available for schools and residents to use outside training times.

Builder Fred Bowman, 37, of Skipper Way, Lee-on-the-Solent, said: 'I think
it's a great thing for the area.

'I've lived in Lee all my life and all we get here is more houses but this
is fantastic news and I think it will keep the kids off the streets and
give them something to do.'

The handful of people who voiced concern about the impact on the area were
jeered and heckled by the crowd.

Janet Carter, 54, a finance manager of Fitzroy Drive, Lee-on-the-Solent,
said: 'Every time someone spoke and had an objection they were booed down
? I think there were more Portsmouth FC fans there than local residents.

'I'm against the plans because I think it will cause disruption and lower
the value of my house.

'If this wasn't everyone's favourite football club, which has just won the
FA Cup, there wouldn't be such a positive response.'

Mr Storrie was pleased with the meeting and said as long as plans are
approved by Gosport Borough Council in July building work will be due to
start in late August.

'I think it went very well and about 80 per cent of people seemed to
support plans,' he said.

'I'm very positive and I think those people that did have concerns had
their questioned answered ? this is a professional operation and
disturbance will be minimal.'

He added: 'At the end of the day, it's a public meeting and people can
make comments against comments.

'That's what open meetings are all about.'

THE COMPLEX will be almost 10 times the size of the club's current
training site at Eastleigh.

The 35-acre site, next to the Cherque Farm estate, will include an
18,000sq ft building, which will house changing rooms, medical facilities,
and a gym.ADVERTISEMENT

There will be 12 full-size pitches, two mini-soccer pitches and a
designated goalkeeping area.

There will also be a three-quarter size indoor pitch for the club's
academy, which will have its own separate building.

Two full-size pitches will be dedicated to community use and the indoor
facilities will be available for schools in the Gosport area when the team
are not using it for training.

First team players will spend four days a week training at the site,
usually between 9.45am and 1pm.

The pitches used for top- flight training will be inside a secure fenced
area to stop fans congregating to watch their heroes going through the
paces.

The new facilities will also create an estimated 15 unskilled jobs for
local people.

Business experts predict the proposals will provide a boost to the local
economy as well as much-needed facilities for the community.

Shaun Farrell, a broker for Gosport-based business experts Impact, said:
'It'll definitely put the area on the map. It'll make it a more attractive
place for businesses.'

Pompey will help fund visitor facilities for the Alver Valley Country
Park, which will be built next to the site by the council.

The club will lease the land from the council.

It is hoped the facilities will be ready to be opened by July next year.