Brentford begins construction of academy facilities | OneFootball

Construction has commenced on new academy facilities at Brentford FC’s existing training ground site on Jersey Road in Osterley, following the club successfully securing planning permission from local authorities. This will allow the club to progress its youth development plans and to meet the Premier League's latest academy requirements.

The new development includes seven outdoor pitches and a new academy building which will house classrooms, changing rooms, offices, medical facilities, and a gym for the young players and academy staff.

The new facilities are due to be operational by late summer, ensuring that the club can secure at least Category Three academy status by the start of the 2024/25 season.

This will mean a very rapid increase in the club’s youth development programme from the under-9 age group upwards. The ambition istoprogress towards achieving Category One status in the near future. A new indoor pitch will be built in the summer of 2025.

Speaking shortly after his appointment earlier this year, academy director Stephen Torpey eagerly anticipated the plans getting underway: "This is an exciting opportunity for us and for new members of staff and players. Our club has been built on doing things differently and pushing boundaries, and I want to lead that message within the academy.”

Torpey continued: "We are also building a new facility, and we are planning accordingly so that we have a set-up fit for young people. We are going to be building a facility conducive to the whole academy, a place that feels right and takes care of their needs.

“We’re actually in the beginning phase, so we can be creative, and we’ve got some ideas around how we can deliver on those ideas going forward to make it impressive for when our young people walk through the door.”

This month, the site will see excavation work and the installation of new roadways and paths, alongside the initial steps in pitch construction.

Next month, these installations will be completed, and construction will commence on the foundations, the next phase of pitch build and the renovation of the existing pitches.

The development will continue throughout the summer with the building modules being craned in before the pre-season preparations get underway.

The new facilities will serve as a cornerstone for our future ambitions, both on and off the pitch.

Cliff Crown, chair of Brentford FC, expressed his enthusiasm with construction underway: "We are really pleased to see the plans for our new academy facility come to fruition. This development is about us laying down new foundations for the club. By investing in this infrastructure and our academy staff, we are committing to our vision of nurturing the next generation of talent and doing that here in west London.

“We extend our thanks to the London Borough of Hounslow and the Greater London Authority for their support, the local residents, our community partners and everyone who has played their part in building these plans and now bringing them to life.”

As part of our commitment to the local community, we will also be developing plans to allow local schools and residents to use the facilities throughout the year.

The first in a series of community engagement group meetings was held earlier in the month, with more than 30 local residents attending, together with local councillors, and we’ll be sharing news on progress on site through regular newsletters.

For those interested in more details about the construction progress, upcoming community meetings, or how to learn more about future community sport sessions at Brentford’s training ground, please get in touch with our head of community operations Jon Burr on jburr@brentfordfc.com.