Cameras planned for Wolves training ground
Wolves Football Club is set to install camera recording equipment at its training ground in Compton Park, which will be used to record and analyse performance during training matches.
The club’s head of operations Steve Sutton has submitted an application to the council for 11 camera masts at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Facility in Douglas Turner Way.
Each of the non-illuminated masts will stand 12 metres tall with either one or two performance analysis cameras fitted to the head. These will focus directly on individual playing surfaces.
A design and access statement conducted by John Hampton, associate director at Atherden Fuller Leng Ltd (AFL Architecture) – the agents acting on behalf of Wolves – said: “No permanent performance or match analysis equipment currently exist at the training ground.
“These cameras will only record training and performance activity on the football pitches and cannot view any of the nearby residential properties.
“Most Elite Player Performance Plan (EPPP) category 1 and training facilities have performance analysis cameras.
“As a typical precedent, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council granted Everton FC permission in June 2017 for 13 masts at its training ground, USM Finch Farm.
“And Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council also granted Stoke City approval for its site at Clayton Wood earlier this year,” it added.
“Six of the masts will be located to the north west area of the Sir Jack Hayward Pavilion, with a further five to the sout east. The cameras will be located on the edge of the run-off zone of the selected pitches 4.5 metres away.
“The masts are similar to the existing floodlights at the training ground and can be finished in either grey or shades of green to blend in with the surrounding trees.
“They will have either a galvanised silver-grey finish to blend in with the average British sky, or green to blend in with the surrounding tree canopy which screens them from outside view along the northern boundary.
“The club has taken care to select the lowest columns available that are fit for purpose and will provide optimum field and depth of vision for match analysis.
“Newbridge Preparatory School is approximately 40 metres away from the nearest mast, and the distance to the nearest residential property in Newbridge Crescent is 91 metres. This mast would be 84 metres away from the nearest property on Pineways Drive,” said the statement.
“Each of the proposed masts will have internal winding gear so they can be lowered for occasional maintenance.”
Wolverhampton Council is yet to make a decision on the plans.
