New site planned for soccer pitches
AROW has broken out over a Hyndburn council plan to create three football pitches in Great Harwood.
The council has submitted plans to build caged 3G football pitches at Bank Mill House, off Lowerfold Road.
The project was initially earmarked for Windsor Road recreation ground, but objections from local residents meant plans were scrapped.
But Ian Wilkinson, chairman of Friends of Memorial Park which uses Bank Mill House, said the money should be spent elsewhere.
He said: “The council haven’t been able to provide flowers for the parks and yet they seem to be able to fund even more football pitches.
“There are already some on the New Showground, memorial playing fields and Wilson’s playing fields. We do seem to be well supplied in Hyndburn.
“They could spend the money on other sports like tennis and improve the courts at Lowerfold. There are other sports apart from football.”
Documents sent to the council said the cages will ‘facilitate an increase in physical activity and provide a regular revenue income stream for the Hyndburn Leisure Trust’.
If approved, they will be open from 10am to 10pm seven days a week and include 33 parking spaces, plus four disabled spaces and a four-metre high perimeter fence.
Great Harwood councillor Gareth Molineux said the site was the ‘most suitable’.
He said: “Two years ago Labour put together a manifesto to add cage football pitches in the area.
Initially the Windsor Road recreation ground site was suggested, but after public consultation this was deemed not appropriate.
“We saved the money and put it to one side, and now we hope to create the pitches at Bank Mill House.
“It’s not particularly near houses so it’s probably the most suitable.” He added: “The health of the borough isn’t fantastic and a large population doesn’t have access to facilities like this.
“We want to create a vital sports facility for the borough and bring in additional revenue for Hyndburn Leisure.
“I’m so proud that it’s something we’ll be able to deliver.”
A decision on the plans will be made in the next few months.
What do you think of the plans? Write to our letters page.