Club and residents object to new cemetery plans
‘This development has the potential to ruin our facilities’
LOUGHBOROUGH Dynamo Football Club and nearby residents have raised objections over the plans to create a new cemetery in Loughborough.
The planning application has been submitted by Charnwood Borough Council which says that the new 14-hectare cemetery could provide burial space in the town for the next 300 years and it will replace the existing facility in Leicester Road.
The proposed new site, which is located off Watermead Lane, to the rear of Nanpantan Sports Ground, received the most support during a public consultation in 2018. The council plans to develop the cemetery in phases with the first phase including space for over 5,000 burials and parking for 40 vehicles. At just over five hectares, the first phase is scheduled to last around 100 years.
The current cemetery in Leicester Road is due to run out of space in 2022.
However Loughborough Dynamo FC, whose ground is next to the site has objected saying: “This development has the potential to totally ruin our facilities and place the future of a successful nonleague football club at great risk of folding, leaving the community without access to physical and recreational activities.
“We have a lease signed for 28 years which has 13 years still remaining, we have had no involvement or correct information regarding the development which is adjacent our ground,
“They have not discussed with us access to our ground, pedestrian, parking and disabled access, this development is used by numerous junior teams, walking football, senior teams and girls’ teams, this plan and lack of information indicates a complete lack of understanding on how this sport facility operates.
“The existing facility is used by hundreds of people with ages ranging from three years to late 70s. This causes massive health and safety issues, the entrance to our ground via the turnstile will be straight out on the road with no to footpath.
“We can have 50-60 people queuing at the turnstiles. When an away coach arrives, these will be stood directly on the road. Also at full time there could be a potential 500 people leaving at the final whistle all again dispersing on to the new proposed road.”
Sport England and residents have also raised concerns over the application’s proposal to close and relocate a multi-use games area (MUGA) which is currently in the site.
The proposal is to relocate the games area to: “Either Lodge Farm Playing Fields or Allendale Road within the next 3-5 years.”
In objection one resident states: “Children have spent countless hours participating in physical activities within this valuable community asset, spending time with their friends, playing small sided games of football in a safe environment.
“I walk my dog daily past this facility on my way to the Outwoods and there is nearly always someone using it, indeed it is the only safe place in the immediate area where children can participate in physical activities during the winter months without getting covered in mud from wet soaking grassed areas.
“This MUGA must not be removed without some other all-weather facility be installed on this site, this facility serves the local community especially the younger children and moving this facility from this site would be a great injustice to the local community.”
The proposal still has to be determined by the borough council’s planning committee , but this week in reply to the objections raised, a Charnwood Borough Council spokesperson told the Echo: “We’ve previously spoken to the club regarding the application but would be happy to further discuss the plans and answer any questions or concerns they have.
“The proposal is an application at this stage and people are able to formally submit their comments through the planning portal on our website.”