Academy of Light
Encyclopedia
The Academy of Light is the name of the UEFA five star certified training facilities
and youth academy for English
football
club Sunderland A.F.C.
Officially opened in March 2003, the Academy of Light is a state-of-the-art training facility located in 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) of land (60 acres dedicated to football) in Cleadon
- just north of Sunderland. It replaced the aging Charlie Hurley Centre, located nearby. The site is used as the primary training facility for the first team, but is also used to train the youngsters in Sunderland's youth system
.
Costing over £10 million to build, the site was the focus of protests from local residents who were angered at the development on a green belt. In the course of a seven year battle, proposals were withdrawn, two public inquiries
were launched, Sunderland appealed against decisions on three occasions, and ultimately the site itself does not conform to Football Association
Academy standards - meaning alternative arrangements had to be made for an indoor pitch.
Academy status means that the club can take part in the FA Premier Youth Leagues and play against other academy teams. This ensures youngsters are playing against the best players in the country in their age group. Academy teams also take part in the FA Youth Cup
. Sunderland have won the FA Youth Cup twice, although the last time was in 1969.
) and club owner Bob Murray and chairman John Fickling put forward proposals for a new world-class academy that would hopefully secure Sunderland's long-term future.
The Academy was to be built on acquired land opposite Sunderland's current training ground, on disused farmland.
From the outset, the proposals were beset with problems. Sunderland's training ground was on the green belt between Sunderland and South Shields
. Planning permission
for building on the green belt is only granted in exceptional circumstances.
Sunderland's original plans were ambitious - amongst them, the club planned to build an indoor training centre and hostel
. Local opposition was fierce, claiming that an area of rural wildlife
would be destroyed and the green belt would be weakened, causing a merging of Sunderland and South Tyneside.
Sunderland were forced to withdrawn the submission and investigate alternative sites in the region.
s on the local area, and extensive re-seeding would benefit wildlife on the site. In total, the Academy would have a 12% smaller 'footprint' than the original farm buildings.
Despite being recommended for acceptance by planning inspectors, the Local Planning Authority rejected the proposal on the grounds that it encroached on the green belt and risked causing a merging of the connurbations of City of Sunderland
and South Tyneside.
Sunderland appealed, and following a public inquiry in September 1999, the Secretary of State for the Environment
John Prescott
overturned the ruling, stating that the benefits the Academy would bring to the community and region justified building on the green-belt. He was convinced that Sunderland had rigorously investigated alternative sites, and he went on to say that the green-belt would not be in danger, as the site had a smaller footprint than the previous site layout.
Following the ruling, the Green Belt Action Group (GBAG) continued to protest against the plans. They felt the landscaping plans would ruin the 'rural' appearance of the area, and the fencing and mounding would create a 'visual barrier'. One of their biggest criticisms was that Sunderland were 'moving the goalposts', as their building plans were significantly different from those originally submitted in 1999.
In 2001, detailed building plans were rejected by South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council's planning committee, again on grounds on green belt encroachment. Sunderland appealed, and a month later planning permission was given .
Work eventually began on the following facilities:
Sunderland submitted the application in May 2002, and in August the plans were reject by South Tyneside council, who said: We felt they were inappropriate for the green belt.
Again Sunderland appealed, and a public inquiry was launched in April 2003.
In November of that year, the Secretary of State
rejected Sunderland's revised plans [] claiming the new elements would "cause significant harm to the openness and visual amenity of this sensitive part of the green belt.". This ruling came despite Sunderland's argument that similar green belt developments at Manchester United, Arsenal
and Middlesbrough
had been accepted.
By this point, the initial phase of the academy had been built, with area set aside for the proposed indoor barn and hostel. The ruling meant that in order to retain Academy status, Sunderland would have to find alternative sites for those elements of the academy, or abandon and relocate the entire centre.
at the Crowtree Leisure Centre
as a site for the indoor training area. The rink, in the centre of the city, was leased to Sunderland AFC for two-years. The offer effectively saved the club's Academy status.
to advise in the development of the area surrounding the academy.
Wetland
was introduced, and water used to wet the pitches at the academy is recycled back into these wetlands. A large area of woodland
was also planted, using a variety of tree
types. The academy area only accounts for 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of the 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) site. The remainder is a wildlife preserve.
Training ground
A training ground is an area where professional association football teams prepare for matches, with activities primarily concentrating on skills and fitness...
and youth academy for English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
club Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
Officially opened in March 2003, the Academy of Light is a state-of-the-art training facility located in 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) of land (60 acres dedicated to football) in Cleadon
Cleadon
Cleadon is a suburban village in South Tyneside, North East England in the county of Tyne and Wear. The population of Cleadon is 4,795, and there are a few shops including Bon Appetit Deli, Boutiques store and a Post Office. Cleadon is a short walk from the local East Boldon Metro Station. Nearby...
- just north of Sunderland. It replaced the aging Charlie Hurley Centre, located nearby. The site is used as the primary training facility for the first team, but is also used to train the youngsters in Sunderland's youth system
Youth system
Youth system is a sporting terminology used to refer to a youth investment program within a particular team or league, which develops and nurtures young talent in farm teams, with the vision of using them in the first team if they show enough promise, and to fill up squads numbers in some teams...
.
Costing over £10 million to build, the site was the focus of protests from local residents who were angered at the development on a green belt. In the course of a seven year battle, proposals were withdrawn, two public inquiries
Public inquiry
A Tribunal of Inquiry is an official review of events or actions ordered by a government body in Common Law countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland or Canada. Such a public inquiry differs from a Royal Commission in that a public inquiry accepts evidence and conducts its hearings in a more...
were launched, Sunderland appealed against decisions on three occasions, and ultimately the site itself does not conform to Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
Academy standards - meaning alternative arrangements had to be made for an indoor pitch.
Academy Status
The club gained academy status despite not having an indoor training pitch onsite, as a result Sunderland compete in the FA Youth leagues. These requirements are wide-reaching, and include indoor and outdoor training facilities, education provisions, and dedicated youth training areas.Academy status means that the club can take part in the FA Premier Youth Leagues and play against other academy teams. This ensures youngsters are playing against the best players in the country in their age group. Academy teams also take part in the FA Youth Cup
FA Youth Cup
The Football Association Youth Challenge Cup is an English football competition run by The Football Association for under–18 sides. Only those players between the age of 15 and 18 on 31 August of the current season are eligible to take part...
. Sunderland have won the FA Youth Cup twice, although the last time was in 1969.
Academy of Light Proposal
In 1997 Sunderland A.F.C. underwent a rebirth. In that year the club moved to a new home (the Stadium of LightStadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
) and club owner Bob Murray and chairman John Fickling put forward proposals for a new world-class academy that would hopefully secure Sunderland's long-term future.
The Academy was to be built on acquired land opposite Sunderland's current training ground, on disused farmland.
From the outset, the proposals were beset with problems. Sunderland's training ground was on the green belt between Sunderland and South Shields
South Shields
South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne to Tyne Dock, and about downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne...
. Planning permission
Planning permission
Planning permission or planning consent is the permission required in the United Kingdom in order to be allowed to build on land, or change the use of land or buildings. Within the UK the occupier of any land or building will need title to that land or building , but will also need "planning...
for building on the green belt is only granted in exceptional circumstances.
Sunderland's original plans were ambitious - amongst them, the club planned to build an indoor training centre and hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
. Local opposition was fierce, claiming that an area of rural wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
would be destroyed and the green belt would be weakened, causing a merging of Sunderland and South Tyneside.
Sunderland were forced to withdrawn the submission and investigate alternative sites in the region.
Revised Plans
In 1999 the club resubmitted a proposal, for the same site as the previous plan, but in which the height of the new developments would not be built any higher than the existing agricultural buildings. New lighting technology would reduce the effect of floodlightHigh-intensity discharge lamp
High-intensity discharge lamps are a type of electrical lamp which produces light by means of an electric arc between tungsten electrodes housed inside a translucent or transparent fused quartz or fused alumina arc tube. This tube is filled with both gas and metal salts. The gas facilitates the...
s on the local area, and extensive re-seeding would benefit wildlife on the site. In total, the Academy would have a 12% smaller 'footprint' than the original farm buildings.
Despite being recommended for acceptance by planning inspectors, the Local Planning Authority rejected the proposal on the grounds that it encroached on the green belt and risked causing a merging of the connurbations of City of Sunderland
City of Sunderland
The City of Sunderland is a local government district of Tyne and Wear, in North East England, with the status of a city and metropolitan borough...
and South Tyneside.
Sunderland appealed, and following a public inquiry in September 1999, the Secretary of State for the Environment
Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions
The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions was a UK Cabinet position created in 1997, with responsibility for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions ....
John Prescott
John Prescott
John Leslie Prescott, Baron Prescott is a British politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007. Born in Prestatyn, Wales, he represented Hull East as the Labour Member of Parliament from 1970 to 2010...
overturned the ruling, stating that the benefits the Academy would bring to the community and region justified building on the green-belt. He was convinced that Sunderland had rigorously investigated alternative sites, and he went on to say that the green-belt would not be in danger, as the site had a smaller footprint than the previous site layout.
Following the ruling, the Green Belt Action Group (GBAG) continued to protest against the plans. They felt the landscaping plans would ruin the 'rural' appearance of the area, and the fencing and mounding would create a 'visual barrier'. One of their biggest criticisms was that Sunderland were 'moving the goalposts', as their building plans were significantly different from those originally submitted in 1999.
In 2001, detailed building plans were rejected by South Tyneside Metropolitan Borough Council's planning committee, again on grounds on green belt encroachment. Sunderland appealed, and a month later planning permission was given .
Work eventually began on the following facilities:
- Indoor training areas
- Medical, Physical and Hydrotherapy areas
- Administration, support and changing areas
- Educational facilities
- Canteen facilities
- Floodlit main practice pitch
- Three full-size pitches
- one full-size artificial pitch
- Two artificial practice areas
- Goalkeeper training area
- Junior practice area
Further Controversy
Work began on the Academy in November 2001 by Gateshead-based building firm Tolent Construction. However only a month later in December, Sunderland enraged the site protesters by resubmitted plans for further amendments to the site. The addition of an indoor training barn and an on-site hostel were seen by Sunderland to be essential requirements to keeping the site at Academy status. Sunderland claimed that in 1999 these elements were desired but unrealistic, but in 2001 they had been added to the list of essential Academy elements by the FA, and therefore to retain Academy status, Sunderland were obliged to include them in the plans.Sunderland submitted the application in May 2002, and in August the plans were reject by South Tyneside council, who said: We felt they were inappropriate for the green belt.
Again Sunderland appealed, and a public inquiry was launched in April 2003.
In November of that year, the Secretary of State
Secretary of State (United Kingdom)
In the United Kingdom, a Secretary of State is a Cabinet Minister in charge of a Government Department ....
rejected Sunderland's revised plans [] claiming the new elements would "cause significant harm to the openness and visual amenity of this sensitive part of the green belt.". This ruling came despite Sunderland's argument that similar green belt developments at Manchester United, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
had been accepted.
By this point, the initial phase of the academy had been built, with area set aside for the proposed indoor barn and hostel. The ruling meant that in order to retain Academy status, Sunderland would have to find alternative sites for those elements of the academy, or abandon and relocate the entire centre.
Ice rink rescue
In January 2004 Sunderland City Council came to the rescue of Sunderland by offering the disused ice rinkIce rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...
at the Crowtree Leisure Centre
Leisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
as a site for the indoor training area. The rink, in the centre of the city, was leased to Sunderland AFC for two-years. The offer effectively saved the club's Academy status.
Environmental Development
During construction, Sunderland enlisted the help of famous Ecologist David BellamyDavid Bellamy
David James Bellamy OBE is a British author, broadcaster, environmental campaigner and botanist. He has lived in County Durham since 1960.-Career:...
to advise in the development of the area surrounding the academy.
Wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
was introduced, and water used to wet the pitches at the academy is recycled back into these wetlands. A large area of woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
was also planted, using a variety of tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
types. The academy area only accounts for 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of the 220 acre (0.8903092 km²) site. The remainder is a wildlife preserve.