Football changing rooms at Racecourse Park and Alvaston Park in Derby are to be replaced as part of a £3.6m project to improve local facilities.

Existing changing facilities at the parks are considered to be no longer fit for purpose and will make way for new buildings set to include team changing rooms and officials changing rooms. A club room, a kitchen and public toilets are also planned, while a café is set to be built at Alvaston Park. The existing building at Racecourse Park will be demolished when work is complete.

Derby City Council (DCC) has received £718,860 towards work on the new Alvaston Park venue and further grant funding worth nearly £778,000 towards Racecourse Park - both from the Football Foundation. DCC cabinet member for leisure and culture Joe Naitta said: "Racecourse Park and Alvaston Park are both major football facilities which are in need of updating to allow football to develop in the city.

"We hope that by improving the changing areas more young people will be encouraged to take part in the football schemes on offer." Work is due to get underway in April and is set to be completed in mid-November.