Chairman David Smith has confirmed plans to progress phase one of the project are underway.
A new training pitch, car park and gym – boasting a hydrotherapy pool – form part of Ayr United’s early plans to develop land behind the Railway End at Somerset Park.
Phase one of the ambitious project is now underway with club bosses looking to maximise the potential of eight acres of vacant ground.
The new training pitch, complete with dugouts and mini “shipping container stands,” will act as the centrepiece attraction of the first phase of works.
United chairman, David Smith, completed the purchase of the land earlier this year and has now confirmed the initial ideas of a steering group set up to brainstorm on the scheme.
Speaking to club TV, he said: “We’ve made some good headway with the steering group and hived off an area of the land which will be phase one. That will include a new gym, an overflow car park, training park and a park which will be for use of the women and girls and Academy to use.
“It is very much dependent on funding and we’ve had some very positive discussions with the Pitching In Fund and South Ayrshire Council as well as some sponsors, so we’re excited about what could be happening next on it.”
United have now lodged a planning application with the council, looking to set the wheels in motion for work to get underway later this year.
Smith added: “If we get the funding, and permissions dependent, we would look to start on site around September.
“I’m really proud of what we do in the community alongside the Academy, and this will add another dimension to that, having everything self contained in and around Somerset Park will be great.
“This will be phase one and we still have another two chunks of land to deal with on this site. We’re looking at various options and the community will always be at the heart of what we try and do here and it will always be for the benefit of Ayr United.
“The steering group that we formed were great and came up with some really good stuff – stuff that’s really important for the first team and community and what kind of programmes we can run out of here and how it will be administered.”
Smith told earlier this year how the purchase of the land was his most ambitious project to date at Somerset, with the capacity to “outlive his tenure” as United chairman. He spent a significant six figure sum acquiring the land from German transport firm DB Cargo.
Smith said at the time: “It’s going to take a long time to realise the full potential and many years to develop what we want on the site. The main thing is that Ayr United will have everything on site and the club can be self sufficient in that regard. That is a pretty big deal in my opinion and probably pretty unique in the Scottish football landscape.”
