Portland football club plans upgrade and extension

The club has submitted a planning application to Dorset Council for the changes to its Grove Road ground which it says will allow greater club and community use throughout a longer season.

It asks for the pitch upgrade and an extension to the club building to provide a hospitality area and to extend its function room to the first floor with additional space and a balcony.

In a planning statement the club says that many of the nearby pubs and clubs have closed over the years, including the Clifton pub, the South Portland Working Men’s Club in Easton Square and the Portland Borstal Officers Club which had closed and will reopening as part of the Jailhouse Café.

“Portland United Football Club is primarily used for football but has the capacity to host wedding receptions etc and the proposal allows for a larger area to subsides the club with its running long term.

“In addition, local dart teams now use the venue along with being the hosts to Portland Super League Darts Team, all helping with additional finances for the football club.”

The club says the proposed extension will allow the function room at first floor to be extended with a view on match days over the pitch and a balcony.

It says an additional function room is to be created to the side of the property, accessed from the main function room, to be used as an additional multipurpose space and provides a children’s room with the ground floor is to be used as a hospitality area during match days.

The club says that the new 3G pitch will allow more use for the first team, reserves and youth teams for training and match day with ladies/girls teams being formed who can also take advantage of the facilities.

“The pitch surface will also allow more community use for charity functions/competitions,” said the statement.

Further details of the application can be found on the Dorset Council website – ref no 2022/02584, with public comments open until June 30th.