Rovers first announced plans to amalgamate their two training bases at Brockhall in February.

Since then, chief executive Steve Waggott, manager Tony Mowbray, supporters, residents and councillors have all had their say on the proposals which would have seen the land on which the Senior Training Centre sits, sold for housing development.

The current Academy facility within Brockhall Village would then have become the new home for the first-team, as well as the Category One Academy, in an all-in-one facility..

The club have since shelved those plans and will explore all options available to them before outlining their next move.

Here’s a timeline of how the story unfolded.

 

February 20 - Rovers' Brockhall training ground could be turned into homes

Training facilities used by Blackburn Rovers could be demolished with 170 homes built on the land currently used by the first team.

Rovers have this afternoon outlined their intentions to integrate their two Brockhall Village-based training centres into a single ‘state-of-the-art’ facility that would bring all players, coaches and facilities together under one roof.

The move would see the site of the current Senior Training Centre vacated, with up to 170 homes, a play ground and a convenience store built in its place.

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February 23 - Questions over housing needs on Rovers' Brockhall site

Questions have been raised over the need for more housing in a rural area after intentions to build a 170-home development were outlined by footballclub bosses.

Blackburn Rovers have spoken of their plans to integrate their two Brockhall Village-based training centres into a single ‘state of the art’ facility which would bring all players, coaches and facilities together under one roof.

Doing so would mean the current site of the Senior Training Centre would be vacated and razed to the ground, making way for a development of 170-homes in the Ribble Valley Borough of Brockhall and Dinckley.

However, questions have been raised over the need for more housing both within the gated community of Brockhall Village and in the wider civil parish area of Billington and Langho.

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February 23 - Mowbray's verdict on Rovers' Brockhall training ground plans

Rovers have outlined plans to accommodate their first-team and Academy players and associated staff in one training facility, something Tony Mowbray feels would have its benefits.

Those plans would see the site of the current Senior Training Centre, where Mowbray and his first-team squad are based, sold for housing developing, and then moving into a new facility where the current Academy base is at Brockhall.

Mowbray has had no involvement in those plans, and says any proposals would be years in the making, believing the current Academy building wouldn’t be suitable currently to allow for such a move without re-development.

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February 26 - Steve Waggott Q&A on Rovers' Brockhall training ground plans

Steve Waggott met with the local press this afternoon to discuss matters on and off the pitch, including the screening opinion applications that were made to Ribble Valley Borough Council last week.

The club has outlined its intention to consolidate their two training centres at Brockhall into one state-of-the-art facility at the site of their current Academy base, within which the Senior Training Centre would be sold off for housing development.

The Rovers chief executive responded to questions from the Lancashire Telegraph about the plans.

Read the full story.

 

March 11 - Details emerge of Rovers' training ground development plans

More details have been released on Blackburn Rovers ’ bid to turn its senior training centre site into a 170-home housing estate with a convenience store and children’s play area.

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March 11 - No covenant to block Rovers' training ground housing plan

Rovers have concluded that there are no covenants placed on the land where their Senior Training Centre stands that would prevent it being sold to a housing developer.

Steve Waggott was asked about possible covenants that may block the building of housing on the STC site by the Lancashire Telegraph last month, with the CEO outlining that research was being undertaken by the club’s legal team.

In a meeting with Rovers Trust, Waggott says that has now been finalised and no covenants are placed on either site, however, building housing on the Academy site would be prevented due to being on green field land.

Read the full story.

 

March 16 - Villagers vow to block housing plan on Blackburn Rovers site

More than half a village have committed to helping block a ‘disastrous’ proposal which could see a further 170 homes built on the site of a football club’s training ground.

Many of those living in the gated community of Brockhall Village have pledged to do all they can to stop Blackburn Rovers from selling off the site of their senior training centre, which is based in the community’s boundary.

As a result of the proposal an action group has been formed, with residents committed to do all they can to block the housing development.

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March 24 - Council makes first judgement on Rovers' Brockhall plans

Rovers’ Brockhall training ground plans won’t require an Environment Impact Assessment, Ribble Valley Borough Council has revealed.

John Macholc, head of planning services at RVBC, said neither site falls within sensitive area’ as defined in the regulations.

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9 April - Rovers shelve Brockhall training ground plans

Rovers have announced they won’t pursue their Brockhall training ground proposals, following the public consultation period.

The plans, which would have seen up to 170 homes built on the land of the STC, faced opposition from supporters as well as residents who formed an action group in a bid to block the plans.

However, Rovers have now revealed they have shelved those plans, and will now explore other options.

Read the full story.