BOSS Eddie Howe believes having privacy at their King’s Park training base will be “critical” to Cherries if they are to stand any chance of holding their own in the Premier League.

Boss Howe and his coaching staff guided the club into the top flight for the first time in its 116-year history after winning the Championship title last season.

The squad trained regularly on pitches in Kings Park in full view of the public and there were often sightings of personnel from other clubs filming their sessions.

Cherries’ historic promotion has brought with it the need to adapt and significantly improve their Dean Court ground and the adjacent training facilities.

As a result, the club has submitted three separate planning applications to Bournemouth Borough Council which are due to be discussed early next month.

A number of proposals have been drawn up and the club recently held a public exhibition at Dean Court to explain the changes to supporters and residents.

And a special planning meeting has been scheduled for July 1 to consider the plans, which include creating a new training pavilion and improving privacy at the training ground.

If approved, the pavilion would provide the club with replacement training facilities, sports therapy, changing facilities and a players’ lounge. Cherries also hope to create an additional training pitch, taking the total to three at Kings Park.

Asked for his thoughts on the proposals, manager Howe told the Daily Echo: “In my opinion, having privacy at the training ground is absolutely critical. It would be pivotal to our success next season and that is how much importance I would place on it.

“We need to be able to work in private. We need to be able to prepare properly and professionally for games and you can only do that without people from the outside having an opportunity to look in.

“It is crucial for team selection and tactical information. These things have to be done in private to give us any chance of being successful when we are competing against other clubs in the Premier League.

“These things simply cannot be carried out in the public domain because it would give our opponents a huge advantage. I can’t stress enough how critical it would be for us going forward.

“We need the facilities to be able to work and improve players. We are asking the people of Bournemouth and the council to try to back us on this.

“Hopefully, the town and the council will see the importance of Premier League football coming to Bournemouth.

“The revenue generated in the town will serve everyone well and this is going to be needed to give us a chance of staying in the Premier League.

“We think we can really put Bournemouth on the map next season and, hopefully, the long-term benefits will be huge.”