London City Lionesses receive approval for ‘game-changing’ training centre

A new Performance Campus building with state-of-the-art facilities for both the first team and Academy will be built. This will be “designed to remove barriers for women, with a focus on performance, recovery and wellbeing”, the club said.

The Academy building will be “hugely improved”, with access to a new high-quality 3G pitch that will also be made available to the local community.

And the Cobdown Park Pavillion will be refurbished to provide modern changing, kitchen and meeting facilities. The aim is for ground to be broken in 2026, with work completed by 2027.

The Campus will create more than 50 new permanent jobs across the club and generate about £1m per year of investment in the local economy, the Lionesses said. 

“Importantly, it will play a significant role in growing the girls’ game in Kent, providing new pathways for U12-U21 and enabling better outreach to schools, grassroots clubs, aspiring female coaches and referees,” they added.

Chair and Owner Michele Kang, who has driven the investment, said: “I extend my sincere thanks to Councillors for endorsing our vision to provide women and girls with the leading performance campus in the world. 

“This facility will remove the barriers that have long held women back in sport and ensure the next generation of girls have the environment they need to thrive.” 

CEO Martin Semmens added: “This is more than just a planning decision – it’s a game-changing moment for women’s football. The facilities we will create here will set the gold standard.

“They will be comparable to a men’s Premier League team, specifically designed to meet the needs of our female athletes. 

“I’m delighted and proud that Tonbridge and Malling Council support our vision and look forward to creating a new home for professional women’s football here in Kent in the months ahead.” 

London City Lionesses are the first independent club in the Women’s Super League. Their Managing Director, Sarah Batters, will deliver the opening keynote on Day Two of TGG Live ’25 at Old Trafford on October 8th.