Parish council against stadium homes plan
BURSCOUGH Parish Council has voted against plans to demolish the Victoria Park stadium and replace it with housing.
The Advertiser revealed last month that plans had been submitted to build 52 homes on the Bobby Langton Way site.
The stadium is home to Burscough FC, which previously received planning permission to build a new stadium on land next to the current one.
According to club chairman Mike Swift, the housing development will fund the football ground but the plans have caused unhappiness within the community.
Concerns have repeatedly been raised that extra development could lead to additional flooding in the village, while Burscough Independent Supporters Association says there is simply no need for a new stadium.
According to the application, submitted by Chequer Properties and Torus Housing, the new development will consist of 11 two-bedroom houses for affordable rent, four two-bed houses for shared ownership, 21 three-bed houses for shared ownership and six four-bed houses for shared ownership.
There will also be 10 two-bed apartments for affordable rent for the over-55s.
The application states that the development will be used to fund the new football stadium, which will in turn lead to the creation of new jobs.
It adds: “Planning permission was granted in August 2017 for a modern replacement football ground to the north west of the application site.”
The site, which is to the south of Burscough Bridge train station, will link to the road network at the junction of Mart Lane and Bobby Langton Way.
The issue was raised at a meeting of the parish council’s planning committee last week and the committee voted 4-1 against supporting the development.
One resident, who did not want to be named, has lived opposite the stadium since the 1970s and said the community would continue to fight against the plans, with major concerns over traffic and the potential for flooding.
She said: “The traffic done here is horrendous, If you were to come down here and try to park anywhere you’ve got no chance.
“They speed down here all the time and we have tried to tell the council but they say nothing can be done.”
She also raised concerns for migrating birds that use the vacant land.
“The geese, when they land here it’s a terrific site, it really is,” she said.
“The stadium has been here longer than us so we’re used to having the floodlights, the shouting and cheering. We love that, we’re used to it and it’s great.
“We’re not against change if it’s for the good, but this is not. This is change for the bad.”
But Mr Swift is hoping that the development will help to secure the future of the football club.
He said: “We’re pleased to have secured the significant interest of a well respected and local housing association to bring this application forward, the intended 52 homes compliments the desire for the village’s sustainable viability and vitality going forward.
“We’d draw attention to the developers’ published statement that helpfully makes reference to our football club’s future stadium.
“Planning permission was granted in August 2017 for a modern replacement football ground to the north west of Victoria Park. This new affordable housing development will fund the new football ground.”