Highland Council approve Invergordon FC plans to build floodlights, stand and fencing required for Scottish FA club license
Highland Council planners have approved an application from an Easter Ross football club aiming to build a Highland League-ready ground by 2026.
North Caledonian League champions Invergordon FC revealed plans to redevelop their Recreation Grounds home back in January, after submitting a proposal to make adjustments that would meet the minimum criteria for a Scottish FA entry level license.
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The approved plans include the erection of a boundary fence, installation of floodlights and the erection of a spectators’ stand at their park, which is situated next to Ross Sutherland Rugby Club near Castle Avenue in Invergordon.
Planning consent now gives the club the green light to begin work to meet their target of making the ground “license-ready” by 2026 – readying the club for promotion to the Highland League, should the opportunity arise.
At present, Highland League promotion play-off opportunities are an option for champion clubs from the three “Tier Six” leagues – the North Caledonian League, North Region Premier League (Moray and Aberdeenshire) and the Midlands League (Tayside) – but only if they hold the requisite SFA club license.
The only team to have been successful in earning promotion thus far is Banks o’ Dee, who moved up to the Highland League in 2022 at the expense of Fort William.
Options have been limited since then, with just three teams holding a license across the three leagues.
The only licensed SFA member club competing in the North Caledonian League is Golspie Sutherland, and in the 20-team Midlands League, only Tayport and Lochee United meet the criteria.
The North Region Premier League currently has no licensed member clubs.
If Invergordon are to acquire a license, they would become only the seventh non-SPFL club across the Highland region to do so, joining Wick Academy, Brora Rangers, Golspie, Clachnacuddin, Nairn County and Strathspey Thistle.
If they were to then earn promotion to the Highland League, they would become the first Ross-shire-based team to take part in the competition for over 30 years, filling a void that was created after Ross County moved to the Scottish League in 1994.
Speaking in February, Invergordon boss Gary Campbell said that “the stars would need to be aligned” for Highland League promotion to become a reality.
“Our initial target was to have it for the end of this season, but we are just aiming to get it done as soon as possible,” he said.
“The idea has been bubbling for a long time, and we have had several meetings bringing us up to this point. We now hope to have everything in place by next year.
“Promotion is something we would aspire to do, but we wouldn’t want to go up a level and not be prepared.
“For the likes of Invergordon currently, we can’t entertain the idea of a play-off due to not having a license.
“If we had a license, and we were lucky enough to win the North Caledonian League again, we would seriously consider going to the Highland League play-offs.
“But all the stars would need to be aligned and we’d need to be ready to do so, on and off the park, if we were going to do that.”
Council planners have told the club it has a period of three years to complete the development.
Consent was granted subject to a transport statement and construction management plan being provided, along with provision of bicycle parking facilities.
Highland Council also stated that “permission shall endure only and only whilst they (Invergordon FC) are members of the Scottish Football Association.
It was noted that the impact of the facilities approved are only necessary and acceptable at the level of the Scottish Football League, and if the desired membership is to cease, approved structures must be removed within three months.