Pictures of AFC Bournemouth's under construction training ground

A topping-out ceremony on Monday celebrated the latest completed step towards Cherries’ state-of-the-art facilities.

The impressive framework stands next to the already completed indoor training dome, both dominating the 57-acre site that was formerly Canford Magna golf course.

The indoor training dome will directly connect with the main training building (Image: NQ)

Work carried out by Southern Structures saw nearly 10,000 tonnes of concrete and 500 tonnes of reinforcement steel used.

Aside from the construction of the reinforced concrete structure, Southern Structures also worked on the groundworks and basement.

Now the next stage of construction will begin, with focus switching to the external façade.

The £32million project has slightly deviated from original plans that were approved in October 2019, after Cherries purchased the site for £3.75million in January 2018.

Aside from battling the elements, work continuing through seven storms, there was also the logistical headache caused by part of the site being under a lake.

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Eventually the structure will host a variety of facilities at Canford, which include top-of-the-range medical, fitness, sports science, and rehabilitation facilities, as well as administrative space.

Currently hosted at Cherries’ Vitality Stadium, press conferences will move to Canford and be staged in a custom theatre for media.

Once fully complete, it will allow Cherries’ men’s first team, development squad, academy, and women’s set-up together in a single place.

The move to Canford could also allow Bournemouth to utilise the land currently occupied by their training facilities at King’s Park, perhaps enabling re-development of Dean Court.

Cherries owner Bill Foley recently visited the work site during his most recent trip over from the United States.

The American billionaire has labelled the training work as “one of the best” in the Premier League, sharing how Cherries have gone the extra mile.

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Speaking about the training ground, head coach Andoni Iraola recently remarked: “You can go now and see there is a building, it looks like it is going to be probably finished at the end of the year and we can move there and we can start working for sure in even better conditions.

“Our steps that the club is making forward definitely will help whatever happens on the pitch.”

In January the indoor dome was completed, enabling Cherries to train inside on a full-size pitch.

Most recently, an outside 4G pitch was opened, whilst work on three full-size grass pitches has begun.

The outdoor training pitch (Image: NQ)

By the end of the project, there will be a total of nine full-size grass pitches, three pitches for junior age groups, three further goalkeeping pitches, and two padel tennis courts.

Pictures: PG Media