195 weeks and counting on football ground plan

Last week we re-submiited our supporting petition of 1,972 signatures for our planning application to redevelop Faraday Road to a modern football facility with a new 3G pitch, clubhouse, changing rooms and stands.

Our original application was submitted in April 2018, seemingly having been ‘lost’ by West Berks Council (we had to start an appeal process for non determination before we made it to a planning committee meeting).

We still await a decision, but hope the approval will finally come before Christmas, some 195 weeks from our original submission.

By contrast the council have submitted a planning application for the football ground (to themselves) to demolish the clubhouse, toilets, changing rooms, floodlights, fencing and create a glorified frisbee park or dog exercise space and this application seems to be suffering no such delays and is due to have a decision made before Christmas too, a mere eight weeks after their application to themselves.

Seems odd doesn’t it?

If you disagree with the council’s football ground demolition plans, (20/02402/REG3) please drop an email to them (Planapps@westberks.gov.uk) or alternatively, if you support the plans to create a football ground Newbury deserves, please email them your support (20/01966/COMIND) – ironically our application to save football refers to 1966.

If you want to object in a constructive way (like we have been for several years now) simply say that you think the demolition plans should be amended so the ground is re-opened temporarily for use as a venue for organised youth football, with temporary changing rooms, toilets, fencing and floodlights.

We have already demonstrated to the council they can do this for a lot less than the £191,000 demolition costs. This would be a stop gap until the council build a replacement ground or our planning application gets built. NEWBURY COMMUNITY FOOTBALL GROUP