Despite a week of dreadful weather, Bristol Rovers’ training ground development continues at pace.
Work began at The Colony, in Almondsbury, earlier this month and the long-awaited base is due to open in time for the start of next season – likely to be in September.
After the 28-acre site was bought in 2017, it sat dormant for three years, but the project sparked into life after a sudden announcement from the club – which had leased Cribbs FC’s facilities as a training ground for several years.
The first phase of the project, which will see two full-size pitches and a goalkeeping area laid – plus the creation of a gym and clubhouse – is swiftly progressing.
Shaun Roberts, the project manager, shed a light on the construction and the make-up of the pitches in a video on Rovers’ social media pages.
“Gravel is going to be a base for the pitches,” he said. “We’re putting in two pitches exactly the same as the pitches at the Memorial ground, which is a fibre sand pitch based on a gravel carpet.
“Once that carpet is in place, we will be putting the drainage in, irrigation and build the pitch above that.
“Once that’s in place we’re hoping to seed probably in the first week in August, and hopefully cut then in the last week in August.”
The Colony, which will soon be renamed once it is complete, will initially be home only to Rovers’ first team, bur the club hopes Gas youngsters will be using the facilities sooner rather than later.
Many suspected the rapid turnaround required meant temporary structures may be required, but president Wael Al-Qadi confirmed on Friday there will be solely permanent buildings created after announcing the club's multi-million-pound debts had been cleared.
“We’re building a clubhouse which will have changing rooms for the first team and also potentially the under-23s,” Roberts added.
“At this stage there are no plans to play any competitive games here at all, it is purely a training centre for the first team and the under-23s eventually.”
