St Ives were granted planning permission to develop their Westwood Road ground more than a year ago and that permission remains active until 2022, but the club’s Board of Directors have been unable to find suitable land in the town to build a new stadium.

Therefore, they have decided to stay put and instead invest in the current home with a state-of-the-art playing surface and a major upgrade of their clubhouse costing over £500,000.

A new site for a ground was identified but it is no longer viable for the club to move to that location and the decision was made instead to remain where they are and improve their facilities, including the installation of a new artificial surface.

St Ives have suffered over the years with games being postponed due to waterlogged pitches and that, coupled with the increase in teams connected to the club, including their own football academy run by first-team assistant-manager Craig Adams and Lloyd Groves, means a 3G facility will be a major asset to not only the club itself but also the town and surrounding villages.

St Ives hope that, if all goes to plan, a 3G surface could be ready for the 2021/22 season.