LEADER of Adur District Council councillor Neil Parkin has congratulated Brighton and Hove Albion executive Martin Perry on the club’s promotion.

Adur District Council unanimously supported the building of the Albion’s training ground in Lancing in 2012 and the facility is now considered one of the best of its kind in Europe.

The American Express Elite Football Performance Centre represents an investment of £32 million by the club.

The construction process led to the creation of 300 jobs which were predominantly created locally.

The training ground employs 121 full-time staff and 124 part-time coaching staff.

In total 274 people from Adur and Worthing are employed as a result of the development working either at the training ground or at The American Express Community Stadium at Falmer.

The football club, newly promoted to the Premier League, has entered into contracts with local suppliers for cleaning, security and food and drink suppliers.

It anticipates that the training ground is worth £2 million a year to Adur and Worthing through the use of local shops, services and contractors.

Cllr Parkin said: “I am very proud also to have supported Martin and Brighton and Hove Albion’s ambitions in the development of their excellent training facility here in Lancing.

“I look forward to working with Martin again, on the New Monks Farm plan [for the new Ikea].”

The proposed development of an Ikea store in Lancing would create 1,000 jobs and around 600 homes in a £170m project, that was revealed by The Argus in January.