A NEW football stadium in Newbury on the old ground at Faraday Road has been given support by council planners. 

Plans to build a new football stadium, renewing and expanding the existing football pitches received support from the western area planning committee at West Berkshire Council. 

Despite the support, the community group which submitted the plans do not own the land — and so do not have the power to build the new stadium. The land is owned by the council, which wants to use it for building flats. 

READ MORE: Fracking and coal mining in West Berks “may offer future potential”

But Lee McDougall, of Newbury Community Football Group, said he was “delighted” to receive the support, and thanked the 2,000 people who signed a petition in favour of the stadium. 

He said: “This is a huge response for a town the size of Newbury, and highlights the community demand for improved sporting facilities in the area, particularly for children.”

Because the council took so long to decide whether to approve the applications, they have gone to the planning inspector to decide. The council’s planning committee on January 15 voted to recommend that the inspector approves the plans. 

READ MORE: Questions to be raised about NHS reorganisation

Derek Carnegie, council planner, said: “It’s a fairly established, logical location for a football ground in the centre of town. It’s a shame how dereliction has attacked the buildings on the site.” 

But he added: “Any potential consent will not influence how the council proceeds with future generation proposals.” 

Duncan Crook, agent for the community group, said: “We hope the inspector will approve it. Then we hope to bring forward a proposal to the council to show the economic viability in the wider regeneration plans.

“The hope is to persuade the council that this is an appropriate use of this land, in the absence of any other appropriate sites.”

The ground was closed by the council in June 2018, when it evicted the incumbent men’s team and the ground has since been left to deteriorate. The stand and perimeter fencing have been removed and the clubhouse and changing room buildings have not been maintained.

West Berkshire Council said last month it will appoint consultants to find a suitable alternative site for a replacement football ground. The current site on Faraday Road makes up a key part of the regeneration plans for the London Road Industrial Estate, where the council wants to build flats.

Gary Norman, from Newbury Town Council, said: “The time has come to do something about this. Newbury Town Football Club have to have a suitable alternative to this site. They need it now, and as soon as possible if not now. 

“If there were an equivalent available site, it would have been found already. In the absence of West Berkshire Council announcing firm plans for an alternative site, this is the only show in town.” 

In a statement, Mr McDougall said: “While the long-term plans for development are progressed, we still need to focus on getting the ground re-opened to the community in the intervening period. 

“With a modest investment and some temporary changing rooms, the community football ground in Faraday Road could be opened to play 11-a-side football again within a couple of months.”