Anger over homes plan for disused rugby ground

A LONG-running dispute over the future of a disused rugby ground has come to a head with an application to build houses on it.
Angry members of Appleton Parish Council claim the plan would enable a private sports club to make hundreds of thousands of pounds out of a publicly-owned asset.
The field, off Bridge Lane, Appleton is owned by Warrington Borough Council but leased to Warrington RUFC – part of Warrington Sports Club.
It has not been used for rugby for about 10 years after fire destroyed the clubhouse – despite efforts by the parish council to get it re-opened.
The rugby club has moved to Warrington Sports Club’s ground at Walton Lea and although it still holds the lease on the Bridge Lane ground for more than 40 years, they say it is too remote from their changing facilities for them to use it.
Several other clubs have expressed interest in using the pitch but no agreement has been possible to bring it back into use.
Now the club, in conjunction with house builders Ashall Developments and Morris Homes, has put forward a plan to develop the six and-a-half acre Bridge Lane site.
Half the land would be used to build 55 two, three and four bedroomed houses, 20 per cent of which would be “affordable.” The other half would be landscaped as a “linear greenspace with recreation facilities.”
There would be an all-weather multi-use games area, a formal footpath around the edge of the field and car parking for users and customers at existing shops in Bridge Lane.
A cash sum would also be paid to the borough council as owners of the site.
As part of the plan, Ashall Developments would transfer an 11-acre site in their ownership at Walton Lea to the sports club, providing space for three rugby pitches and training areas.
Cllr Brian Axcell (pictured) of Appleton Parish Council, said the parish council challenged a number of the claims made by the rugby club.
“We also point out that the sports club does not own the land; it has a lease with about 45 years remaining, but nevertheless it believes it should be allowed to make hundreds of thousands of pounds out of a publicly owned asset
“Privately owned land at Walton in the Green Belt, which cannot be developed, would be transferred to the sports club for pitches. In exchange publicly owned land would be handed over to the developers for housing!”
The parish council says the amount of traffic on Bridge Lane – a feeder road to five schools – is already at capacity. Sums of money promised would not even solve existing traffic issues.
The field should be retained for sport and recreation because the financial package offered to the borough council would not benefit Appleton residents.
Overall, there would be an unacceptable loss of green open space as the proposed recreation area would be small.
The Walton Lea pitches would be too far away to benefit Appleton residents and, in addition, would be part of a private club with membership fees – not equivalent to council-owned playing fields open to all.
Finally, the borough has adequate housing provision – particularly in the Appleton area, where land originally earmarked for housing has been removed from the “area of search” for at least 15 years.