Bodymoor Facelift

Villa have unveiled the long awaited plans for a new £8m training facilities being developed at Bodymoor Heath.

Doug, at the AGM last week, said the current facilities – built in 1971 – were a bit ‘tired’. John Gregory and Graham Taylor both championed the need for new facilities saying we had fallen behind even the smaller clubs in the Prem.

The official sites saying the first phase will start soon on a 40 000 sq foot area adjacent to the current facilities.

It will include an indoor training centre, four full-sized grass pitches, 15 changing rooms, swimming pool and gymnasium as well as offices and a dining area.

Former Villa manager John Gregory had been amongst those to complain that an overhaul of Villa’s training facilities was needed during his reign which ended in early 2002.

Mr Ellis said ‘Bodymoor Heath was built in 1971 and the current complex is now looking, shall we say, tired and the new project will make us all very proud for many years to come. I am sure it will also help us in attracting new players. I hope this facility will compare with the best there is around.’

It is a shame that it has taken so long, as Villa had to fight with planners due to the green belt nature of the land. There were also delays a year or so back, if I remember reports correctly, because conservationists had found some rare newts in one of the ponds!

The development should be completed within two years and the funding has been ring fenced so as not to affect team funds.