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04
Nov
Training ground not high on agenda for Harrogate Town's new owners
A new training ground for Harrogate Town is not currently the club's new owners' highest priority, its chairman has said.
Jonathan Blezard, who took over as co-owner of Town with first team manager Simon Weaver in October, told a fans’ forum event last night that it remained a “long-term ambition” but was not something the club was “re-engaging with right now”.
The club and Wetherby Steeplechase Committee Ltd submitted plans to Leeds City Council in December 2025 to build a £2.75 million training facility at Wetherby Racecourse, including a clubhouse and pitches.
However, the proposals were withdrawn in May this year — the same month Town were relegated to the National League.
Image of Harrogate Town's planned training facility.
At the time, a club spokesperson said it was advised to withdraw the application after an objection from the Environment Agency.
It said its planning consultants also advised to “re-submit a new application once revised plans have been considered that will meet the new requirements”.
However, in response to a question from a supporter last night, Mr Blezard said the facility was not the “highest priority” for the club at the moment.
He said:
Both of us would love to have our own training ground. That is absolutely a long-term ambition of the project still.
From here, I think the nature of where we are and the fundraising we have to done to get to here and the funds we are bringing in to the club at the moment, I don’t think it is the highest priority thing we can do from a ‘cap ex’ perspective.
Mr Blezard added that Town had “more pressing” priorities, such as the pitch at Wetherby Road.
But, he said the ambition of the club having its own training ground was not something the new owners had given up on.
Mr Blezard said:
We have to do those things in order for what makes sense for the football club. It is not a short-term thing that we are re-engaging with right now. But it is not something we have given up hope on doing in any way at all either.
Hopefully, if we have positive progress over the next 12 to 18 months, then that is something we can really kind of recharge at once we have done the pitch and a few other things.
Mr Weaver added that the club had used "significant funds" to improve its current training facilities at Rothwell in Leeds for the remainder of this season.
Harrogate's planned Wetherby Racecourse venture was described in planning documents as a “significant opportunity to deliver a high quality sporting facility”.
A grass pitch and a 3G artificial surface, along with a single-storey building containing changing rooms, a gym, offices and a dining area were planned.
However, the application received multiple objections, which would have made it difficult to secure planning permission.
Last night's fans' forum was recorded and published on YouTube today (November 4) after the club restricted media access to the forum.
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