Burnley Football Club can confirm a planning application has been made to redevelop the Gawthorpe training facility.
The local authority will sit later this year to discuss the club's proposals, which include extending existing facilities and the building of a brand new indoor facility to aid in future applications for Academy status.
Conservational issues have been at the heart of the plans and the club has worked in tandem with National Trust and English Heritage to meet all requirements on the environmentally sensitive site.
A plan view of the new proposals, with the 'new' indoor facility centre left and Gawthorpe Hall top left.
Burley FC Stadium manager Doug Metcalfe said: "These are very exciting times and we are now at stage where the Gawthorpe redevelopment plans have just been submitted.
"It has been a long process - at least two and a half years in the planning - but we have submitted our application now to the local authority and hopefully before Christmas we will have a positive answer as to the future of Gawthorpe."
Doug added: "Gawthorpe was revolutionary in the early days as one of the first ever training grounds.
Gawthorpe, top pitch
"Bob Lord (former Chairman) was a visionary in creating this facility, but that was over 40 years ago now and it is showing its age.
"We need to redevelop the existing facility and after considering several options we will now refurbish and extend the building.
"Extra dressing rooms, a dedicated gym, catering facilities and a players lounge for all levels of players, from first team to Centre of Excellence, will make this a self-contained facility.
Existing building (left) with proposed indoor 3G pitch
"We feel the addition of an indoor training facility is also vital to our progression.
"We already have a state of the art, full size 3G external all-weather pitch and we will have, as part of this scheme, a 60m x 40m indoor facility with a 3G pitch, which is a requirement for Academy status, should we apply.
"It's been a long slog, but we think getting the training facilities right is the future of this club and we are confident we have put an application in that is positive."
The club's proposals will now discussed by the local authority planning committee in December.
Doug added: "We have been quite aggressive on the time scale and we are hopeful of getting an answer on planning before Christmas.
"Given a positive response, that would allow for an anticipated start date of January next year and completion and handover of July 2011, so the players return next summer and have a fantastic new facility."
