‘Housing should be kicked into touch’

IN 1988 Ball Haye Green FC proudly switched on newly installed floodlights on the football ground on Ball Haye Green behind the then working men’s club.

There were no significant grants but years of money raising efforts by the committee and locals who always supported the football club.

Supporting the club as they have done for some 140 years of continual play and community events which have always taken place on this ground. Within 32 years, and fast forwarding to present date, we find a desolate piece of ground.

Putting aside for now ‘rhyme and reason’ the end result which was never in doubt was the eviction of the football club who leased the ground, and the eventual application for planning permission to our local authorities for 42 houses to be built on the ground.

This in itself will no doubt create many problems to our local services and roads etc.

I realise that local authorities have targets set by Westminster to reach on many issues and of course housing is just one. Another is respecting the needs of the people who put them in a position through the ballot box to influence local issues. One of these needs and one that has sadly been neglected for many years is local sport and recreation. These are the things we should promote through the involvement of local people and less from government whether from Whitehall or local directives.

If the local authorities do the right thing blocking planning permission for houses, and returning (Ball Haye Green FC) to their ancestral home it would be small start in reversing recent trends.

Plainly this housing development should be ‘kicked into touch’

CD Bode Address supplied