PWLLHELI football club has been handed a timely boost after being given planning permission to build its own changing rooms and offices.

The club, who’s home ground is adjacent to Dwyfor Leisure Centre, currently depends on the centre’s changing rooms for both the home and away teams.

But after being granted planning permission by Gwynedd council, the club could soon boast its own facilities which would also include a committee room.

According to the club, which currently plays in the fourth tier of Welsh football, it is hoped the proposal will encourage more young boys and girls to join the club which has two senior men’s teams, a women’s team and numerous junior teams ranging from seven to 16 years of age.

In its planning application, the club noted: “The proposal is for the construction of a single storey building to provide home and away team changing rooms, match day officials changing rooms, visitor toilets, refreshment area and multi-purpose room.

“Pwllheli football club does not have its own changing rooms, it currently hires the leisure centre’s changing rooms which is an additional expense for the club. It also has to hire a room in the town to hold its committee meetings.”

The facility will also include a kitchen and serving counter to provide light refreshments on match days, with the multi-purpose room used as a meeting point before games for players and spectators, a viewing area on match day for spectators with disabilities and to provide a room for the club and any community organisations to hold meetings and conferences.

This, says the club, will help Pwllheli FC meet stricter Football Association of Wales ground regulations over the coming years.

Gwynedd council planning officers, who approved the application without the need to go in front of councillors, noted in their report: “The use of the building would be likely to occur before, during and after football matches and on training evenings, with a small meeting room to hold occasional meetings.”

“It is realized that such a development could mean some disturbance, however it must be acknowledged that the use as a football field and its associated activities already exists on the site.”