Premiership rugby club Wasps is finalising plans to build a centre of excellence on the site of the Old Leamingtonians RFC ground on the outskirts of Leamington.

The club has completed a long lease agreement for the site and is now preparing to file a planning application to Warwick District Council

Facilities at the centre will include a rugby pitch for every age group at Old Leamingtonians RFC, a full-size synthetic pitch, a number of training pitch for the elite team and an indoor training centre.

Nick Eastwood, CEO at Wasps, said: “Our ambition is to transform the site into an elite centre of excellence for rugby, enabling wider community participation and for rugby to continue to flourish in the region.

“The plans have been well received by the parish councils that we have spoken with, and the focus now is working with Warwick District Council through the planning process.

He added that the club has agreed a new deal to remain at its existing training base at Broadstreet RFC until the Leamington site is ready.