Clubhouse taking shape at Broadbridge Heath's new home with completion date announced

Delayed initial groundworks got underway at the end of January and things have stepped up on the site.

Planning permission for a new permanent home for the village club was agreed back in February last year and will see three football pitches, a club pavilion, two small stands, floodlights and fences on land south of the leisure centre, where they currently reside.

Currently the site has seen the start of masonry in place for the clubhouse and the steel framework up.

The hope is that all work will be completed by August with club secretary Andy Crisp expecting them to be using the facilities for matches a month into next season.

He said: “The developers Sunninghill are keeping the club regularly updated on progress and we’re still looking for completion in early August, that’s assuming that most of the bad weather is behind us.

“News on the pitches is that during the spring the contractors will be back with more sand, fertiliser and seed preparing the pitches for the start of the 2018/19 season.

“Regarding the planting of the hedgerow, trees and bushes on the west of the site, this can’t be done until the soil around the site has been dispersed.

“Some might be done this spring/summer but it’s more likely they will have to return at a later date to finish it off.”

The club themselves will then need to complete some internal works on the pavilion, but hope to start playing games on the new pitches in September.

Heath saw their Premier Division clash with Pagham away at Nyetimber Lane fall victim to the weather on Saturday.

The Bears now welcome Three Bridges to the Leisure Centre this weekend. Steve Painter is set to welcome back Alex Parsons, but Devon Fender remains sidelined.