Trowbridge Town FC 'delighted' to have floodlight plans approved

A Wiltshire football club has finally seen their determination pay off as their application to install eight floodlights at their grounds has been approved - but they now need to raise thousands so construction can start.

Trowbridge Town Football Club submitted the plans to build floodlights at its Wood Marsh ground in December last year, after they said they were the only County Town football club in the country without a floodlit grass pitch, stopping them from playing games in the evening and progressing up the leagues.

Wiltshire Council has also granted permission for two dugouts for home and away teams.

The work is estimated to cost £65,000 and now the club need to have at least half of the total raised by July to go ahead with the project, so they are now planning some big fundraising efforts.

Club Chairman, Andrew Meaden said: “This is a very proud day, not just for Trowbridge Town Football Club, or for me personally, but for the entire area.

READ MORE: Trowbridge Town FC submits plans for floodlights at ground

Trowbridge Town FC pitch (Image: TTFC)

“Firstly, I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everybody who has backed this project and bought into the vision for what we are trying to create, which is a ground that will not only enable the progression of our town’s senior football team back to where it belongs, but also provide a facility that better serves our youth football system."

The club hopes these essential improvements will help them to progress to step six of the non-league football pyramid when the season starts in August.

Andrew continued: “It sounds like such a simple thing, but with the floodlights, we are creating opportunities for local children to begin their footballing journey with us aged eight and stay right through into a senior playing career in their thirties and beyond.

“We can also expand our youth programme to include floodlit leagues and cups, providing even more opportunities for local players in grassroots football. We are also evaluating possibilities to recruit a coach and extend our programme to include under six’s football in the near future."

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The club is working with Wiltshire Council’s ecology officer and Natural England, to make sure the floodlights will have no adverse effects on local wildlife, particularly the rare Lesser Horseshoe, Greater Horseshoe and Bechstein’s bats that fly above the ground’s hedges.

Andrew continued:  “Secondly, to each and every one of the local authorities and community groups that have consulted with us, supported us and guided us through the process, I’m very grateful to them for both their healthy and constructive challenges, and ultimately their encouragement.

“Thirdly, a special thanks to Gary Caldicott and David Vigar, who have both expertly and efficiently managed the planning application process, and provided constant and welcome support to the Club and to myself throughout each step of the project.

“And lastly, to the rest of the Club’s committee and supporters. They’ve been the lifeblood of this Club since we reformed in 1999, and this is a landmark day for all of us. We’ve had quite a journey already, and we’ve got an equally exciting one ahead in the coming months and years."

However, the work is estimated to cost £65,000 and the club need to have at least half of the total raised by July to go ahead with the project, so they are now planning some big fundraising efforts.

Construction is also subject to conditions like arranging extra hedgerows to be planted and limiting the use of the lights, but they only expect to use them for one or two games per week.

Andrew concluded: “Of course, we now face an entirely new challenge, as we seek to raise the funds for construction, but I’m confident that this is now our biggest hurdle to overcome, as one club, one community, we can now begin to tackle the next steps knowing we are building something that will serve the local area for years to come.”