Manchester City reveal plans for football village

Manchester City football club has submitted plans for a youth academy and first team training facilities alongside the Ethiad Stadium in east Manchester.

The high-flying club owned by Abu Dhabi United Group will construct a campus covering up to 80 acres of brown field land.

Consultants Capita Symonds, Aecom, BDP, Turner & Townsend and Aedas are among the firms involved in the project, along with architecture practice Rafael Vinoly Architects.

The development will include a home for up to 400 young players, a first team building, 11 youth pitches, four first team pitches, support facilities and a 7,000 capacity stadium for youth matches.

Manchester City said the development would benefit from two new Metrolink tram stations being built close by, which are expected to be completed in 2012.

The training campus is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

The consultation for the plans attracted in excess of 7,000 responses and revealed a 97% approval rating, the club said.

Brian Marwood, chief football operations officer of Manchester City Football Club, said: “It is important to also make clear that the development and recruitment of youth talent is at the heart of our long term strategy of building a successful and sustainable football club for the future.

“The opportunity to build a world class facility supported by a well researched youth development plan would be a significant step in the realisation of that strategy.”