Douglas City Council is continuing to explore options to refurbish changing rooms at Spring Valley playing fields/Pulrose Pavilion changing area.  

Councillors and officers have met officials from the Isle of Man Football Association and Pulrose United FC, along with South Douglas MHKs, in a bid to progress the project.  

After rejecting tenders which were considered well above budget for such work, the local authority’s Regeneration & Community Committee is investigating the potential for either a prefabricated building to be installed or to lease the site to the one of the football clubs which use the pitches at Groves Road. Further negotiation will also take place with the Isle of Man Football Association, the Football Foundation and the planning authority regarding the specification for the building and the potential for it to be reduced in size.  

Councillor Andrew Bentley, Chair of the Regeneration and Community committee, said: ‘As a Council we have been striving for some time to work with football clubs to progress this matter and will continue to do so, considering all reasonable options at a fair price.  

‘This includes reviewing again the potential for a prefabricated building or leasing the site to one of the clubs in the expectation that a club is more likely to be able to generate sponsorship and assistance from local businesses.  

‘We will also explore the potential to further value engineer the proposal in an attempt to reduce the cost.’  

It is intended to apply to the Football Foundation, seeking up to £250,000 to help meet the total cost for replacement facilities.