OPPONENTS of a football club’s development plans have won a significant battle – but have still to win the war.
A local authority inspector has come down on the side of the action group which wants to tackle Haltwhistle United’s plans for new facilities on the town’s old school field.
David Manley QC is recommending that the field be given village green status – a move which would prevent the football club building changing rooms and a car parking area.
The final decision will be made next Wednesday at County Hall, Morpeth, when the county council’s rights of way committee meets.
While the nearby Fairfield Park and Willia Road Neighbourhood Action Group hailed an interim victory last night, others said they hoped the committee would still kick the inspector’s recommendation into touch.
Group leader Brendan Powell said yesterday: “This is what we were after and we are happy with this. Now it is all down to the committee, and how they see things.
“We have never been against the football – it was about over-development of this particular site.”
As September's public inquiry was non-statutory, it does not have the power of law of a full Government inquiry. Northumberland County Council’s rights of way committee, which meets at 10am on Wednesday at Morpeth, has the final say.
Local councillor Ian Hutchinson, who was one of many to oppose the village green application, declared: “I’m appalled at the recommendation of the inspector and hope the committee has the courage to go against his recommendation.”
Haltwhistle United runs junior sides but hopes to expand in the years ahead and the development was an important part of their plans.
Club secretary Eric Taylor said: “I feel greatly disappointed that the inspector has taken the view that he has. It would be a great setback for the football club if the committee now supports this recommendation.
“The town would have poor facilities for the foreseeable future, and that would have a knock-on effect right down to junior level.
“We have a meeting tonight [THURS] about development, to try to get more kids to go along and play football, and now we face this. We need facilities, and this playing field would be a big boost to the area.”
Both sides in the dispute plan to attend the committee meeting and the club claims the majority of the town is on its side.
To gain village green status under the 2006 Commons Act, proof is required that a “significant number” of local people have used the facilities for a period of 20 years.
Mr Manley ruled: “I am satisfied that there was, over the relevant 20-year period, recreational use of the land by a significant number of the inhabitants of Haltwhistle.”
