CHERRIES star Harry Arter believes ambitious plans to dramatically improve the club’s infrastructure could help the team move on to the next level.

Arter revealed he had been aware of the club’s intention to build a new stadium and new training ground before he signed an improved four-year contract in the summer.

Cherries last month confirmed their proposals for a new ground within Kings Park and are expected to submit plans to Bournemouth Borough Council next year.

And earlier this week, it was announced they had acquired a 57-acre site on the former Canford Magna Golf Club for a training complex to include 10 full-size pitches and an indoor artificial pitch.

Poole Borough Council is due to consider outline planning permission for the complex which would bring the first team, development groups and academy facilities into one location.

Arter told the Daily Echo: “It is a natural progression and comes with being in the Premier League for three years.

“Brighton have just come up and they have an unbelievable training ground. They concentrated on that side of their club development and it has worked very well for them.

“We want to attract the best players and, when they come in, you want to show them around a good training ground.

“A few of the lads are still here who trained at Canford School. It was a fantastic facility but the club didn’t own it. For those of us who have been on the journey, it is great news

“Before I came here and going back seven years at Woking, I was training on a local park using cones as goal posts. I grew up at Charlton and we had great facilities there.”

Arter added: “We have all the resources where we train now but the size isn’t great. We only have two pitches so, when it comes to the winter, it is not ideal. The manager will have numerous pitches to work on and a bigger space, in general, will have a nicer feel.

“It is great to see the club progressing off the pitch. As players, we have pressure when we are on the pitch with the facilities we have now so that won’t change.

“Retaining our status in the Premier League is always massively important and you could say more so now.

“We want to show we are progressing and I would like to think these new facilities will push us on to the next level.

“That’s the hope and whatever progression we make as a team, hopefully, mirrors what is happening off the pitch.

“I knew it was in the pipeline (before he signed his new deal) but didn’t know it was going to be as soon as next year, which is a massive positive.”