Harrogate Town explain decision to withdraw £2.75m training ground planning application
Harrogate Town have withdrawn their planning application for a proposed £2.75 million training ground in Wetherby due to a flood risk – but still intend to proceed with its construction.
The Sulphurites unveiled plans last July to build a brand-new facility consisting of both artificial and grass pitches with floodlights, and a one-story clubhouse with parking.
But, their application was withdrawn at the end of April, just before the club’s six-year stay in the Football League was ended by a 2-1 home defeat to Barnet on the final day of the 2025/26 season.
A statement released on Thursday (May 14), has however explained that the decision to do so was based on advice from Town’s planning consultant after new flood-mapping data led the Environment Agency to object to the proposed location of the clubhouse structure.
The statement said: ‘During the planning application process, we were recently notified that the Environment Agency would have to object to the application on the basis that more up to date flood mapping for the site has been released since the original planning application was submitted.
‘This new data now places the proposed clubhouse within a Flood Zone, where such a development is considered incompatible.
‘This was not identified previously during the two pre-application periods and has only come to light in the last few weeks which coincided with the end of the football season.
‘To proceed, we were advised by our planning consultant team to withdraw the application within the given deadline of April 30 to avoid a refusal on the application and to then re-submit a new application once revised plans have been considered that will meet the new requirements.
‘We hope that helps clarify the current position and will update on any progress.’
Town, who currently train at Rothwell Juniors in Leeds, have been in need of their own permanent base since arriving in the Football League (EFL) in 2020.
That promotion required them to rip up their artificial 3G playing surface at Wetherby Road and replace it with a grass one to comply with EFL rules, meaning that their home ground was no longer a viable option for hosting multiple sessions on a daily basis.
As a consequence, the club’s many teams and Player Development Centres have been forced to train at various facilities around the region.
And although their relegation back to the National League means that they could revert back to an artificial pitch at the Exercise Stadium if they wanted to, doing so would be non-sensical given their stated intention to return to League Two as soon as possible.
Plus, the construction of their very own training ground would mean that Town would be able to ‘meet the needs of men’s and women’s teams, Player Development Centres and the club’s community foundation activities’.
The construction and operation of the facility, which is to be built at Wetherby Racecourse, will be funded by the club, with the land it will sit on remaining the property of Wetherby Steeplechase Committee Ltd.