AFC Bournemouth Training Ground Hybrid Pitch Construction

By mid-February, with Premier League survival all but secured, AFC Bournemouth moved forward with plans for their new 57-acre training facility. White Horse Contractors were awarded the contract to construct a brand-new hybrid pitch at the Magna Crawford Elite Training Facility. Once the ground reached adequate stability, we began laser-grading the engineered subsoil according to the planned envelope design.

Once the levels were precisely set, our drainage team arrived on site with specialized equipment. Using the Mastenbroek 20/15 trencher, we installed primary drainage laterals at 5-metre intervals along the entire length of the pitch. A new irrigation system was then installed. Next, the gravel raft was installed, followed by the undersoil heating system, ensuring the first team would have a consistent playing surface throughout the winter months. Sports-specialist sand from New Milton Sands & Ballast was then spread evenly across the pitch and carefully trimmed, before the upper root zone was laid.

The final stage for White Horse Contractors was to cultivate and seed the pitch. After four weeks of growth, our hybrid partners, GrassMaster Solutions, arrived as scheduled to begin stitching 20 million Tarket polyethylene fibres into the pitch. While the pitch work was completed, the White Horse Contractors team continued with surrounding projects, including the installation of ball-stop netting, new pathways, and spectator viewing areas. The final pitch was completed on time, on budget, and to exacting specifications. White Horse Contractors are proud to have partnered with another Premier League club on their training facility, providing Head Groundsman Ian Lucas with a pitch worthy of their state-of-the-art training base.