THE former Rosyth Civil Service Sports Club will become the site of a new training ground for Dunfermline Athletic.

This evening, the football club have confirmed that they have concluded an agreement to take control of the site, and hope that it will be operational by June next year.

The former Civil Service Sports Council (CSSC), which is located on Castle Road, is set to house the Pars' first team squad, its newly-formed youth academy, and the Pars Foundation - a charity which runs the club's community programme - when it is completed.

In July, Athletic were named as the preferred bidder to take over the CSSC, and it had been suggested that any deal would include Rosyth FC, but it is believed the agreement will see Dunfermline solely take on the site.

As part of the plans to develop the training ground, which the club hope will "unlock the full community potential of the site", it will include two full-size grass pitches; warm up and goalkeeper areas; a 3G astroturf pitch, with fencing and floodlights; an education and analysis auditorium; changing rooms and showers for the first team, and additonally, the academy and Pars Foundation; offices and meeting rooms; a kit room, laundry and boot room; an indoor sports hall; a kitchen; and an eating and rest area.

As well as that, the club's strength and conditioning gym, which is currently situated in the corner of the Main and East stands at East End Park, will also be relocated to the new facility, which Dunfermline chairman, Ross McArthur, has described as a "game changer" for the club.

He said: "Firstly, I would like to thank the Civil Service Sports Club and their Estates Team for their help, support and understanding in making this a reality.

"Once the facility is fully developed it will bring together the first team, our newly formed Youth Academy as well as the Pars Foundation all on one site. This creates a real identity for our club and develops the DAFC and Pars Foundation brand further into the local community of Rosyth and West Fife.

"At the same time, we are conscious of the replacement Inverkeithing High School being built nearby, and we hope to build further educational links for young people in helping them develop as young people, as well as young footballers.

"Our club in recent years has attempted to develop young players, but to do this you need better coaching of course, but you also need the best facilities. I genuinely believe having this facility is a game changer for DAFC, and only the funding from DAFC Fussball GmbH allows us to do this."

Dunfermline, thanks to the investment of the DAFC Fussball GmBH group, who in the summer took on a majority shareholding in the club, are taking on the site from the Civil Service Sports Council.

The not-for-profit organisation provide sports, leisure offers, member benefits and discounts for a community of over 150,000 members working within the civil service and public sector organisations.

Wendy Eley, Chair of CSSC Properties, said: "We are delighted to conclude the agreement with DAFC for the former CSSC Club site.

"We are incredibly pleased that the site will still be used for sport and will be at the heart of the local community – aligning with all that CSSC represents as an organisation.

"We look forward to continuing to build our relationship with DAFC for many years to come."