Wycombe Wanderers Football Club will take over both sites in a new deal with Buckinghamshire Council
Author: Zoe Head-ThomasPublished 30 minutes ago
Buckinghamshire Council and Wycombe Wanderers Football Club have agreed a new partnership to secure the long-term future of Farnham Park Playing Fields and the South Buckinghamshire Golf Course in Farnham Royal as a community sports hub.
The football club will become the new head leaseholder for the sites, taking responsibility for operating and managing them, as well as investing in upgrades. The arrangement will continue the current relationship with existing sports tenants at Farnham Park.
Peter Brazier, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure, said:
“I am delighted to announce that Wycombe Wanderers Football Club will be the new head leaseholder for these key sites, which are protected for sport and physical activity. Their vision and commitment to a multi-sports hub with modern, inclusive facilities will significantly increase opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds across the community to play sport and be active.
“Their proposals for the site are subject to planning permission and consultation and engagement with existing tenants and local residents, but this is a very exciting step forward and promises a very bright future for the much-loved playing fields and golf course.”
Wycombe Wanderers’ proposals include a new artificial playing pitch for community use at Farnham Park, a football training centre and academy on the northern side of the golf course, and a possible redesign of the course to a 9- or 12-hole layout. The club says these changes would make the course more flexible and accessible.
Dan Rice, Interim Chairman & Chief of Football at Wycombe Wanderers, said:
“We are committed to a long-term partnership that enhances and future-proofs the recreational and sporting value of South Buckinghamshire Golf Course and Farnham Park.
“Our vision is founded on three key pillars: community access, sporting excellence, and environmental sustainability. From improving grassroots and multi-sport infrastructure to developing a state-of-the-art academy and training centre, we aim to create a lasting legacy that benefits both current users and future generations.
“We are dedicated to working openly and collaboratively with the Council, existing user groups, and the wider community to ensure that the site remains inclusive, accessible, and enriched by new investment. This is about safeguarding public use while unlocking new opportunities, participation, and activity for all.”
The council confirmed that the sites will remain open during the design and planning process. Wycombe Wanderers intends to deliver investment in phases over the next five years to improve and modernise facilities.
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