A local football club’s plans for expansion are kicking up quite a storm! Burscough FC wants more space, but neighbours are crying foul over potential traffic and noise in a green belt area. Is this a winning strategy for community growth, or a foul play against local peace? What do you think should happen?
A contentious debate has engulfed the quiet community of West Lancashire as Burscough Football Club presses forward with ambitious plans to significantly expand its clubhouse and parking facilities. While the club asserts these developments are crucial for its future and beneficial to the community, a chorus of local residents and businesses voices strong opposition, citing concerns over environmental impact, traffic congestion, and noise disturbance.
The club, situated on Bobby Langton Way within a designated green belt area, is seeking planning permission for a substantial two and single-storey extension. These proposed additions include a new bar, updated toilet facilities, essential storage spaces, a modern kitchen, and protective coverage for external stairs. Furthermore, the development encompasses retrospective permission for an existing first-floor viewing gallery, underscoring the scale of the ongoing modifications.
Integral to the Burscough FC expansion is a crucial upgrade to its infrastructure, specifically addressing vehicular capacity. Plans detail the enlargement of an existing car park located south of the pitch, alongside the introduction of a dedicated storage area for bicycles and motorbikes east of the clubhouse. This aspect of the Football Club Expansion aims to mitigate potential parking issues but remains a point of contention for local residents worried about increased vehicle flow.
Burscough FC emphasizes its deep roots and commitment to the local community, highlighting past initiatives such as assisting JN Sports in hosting youth tournaments. The club notes that a prior tournament, initially held at their ground, had to be relocated due to overwhelming attendance, demonstrating the demand for their facilities and potential for positive community engagement through sports.
However, the proposed Green Belt Development has not been met with universal approval. Residents express apprehension about the impact on their quality of life, focusing on potential noise pollution from an enlarged facility, increased traffic on already busy local roads, and the precedent set by developing within a protected green belt zone. These anxieties form a significant part of the ongoing Local Community Debate.
Adding to the complexity, Brian Sewell, proprietor of the nearby Barons Club, has lodged a formal objection, directly linking his business’s closure to a five-year-long dispute between Burscough FC and West Lancashire Planning concerning access to the ground via Bobby Langton Way. Sewell’s poignant testimony underscores the tangible, negative consequences that local development disputes can have on established businesses and the wider economic fabric.
The contentious status of Bobby Langton Way itself has been a recurring theme in local discourse, intertwined with broader urban development. Its closure, alongside the construction of new housing on the football club’s former site, illustrates a pattern of evolving land use that deeply impacts the daily lives and routines of the community, generating ongoing public discussion and concern.
Despite the vocal opposition and complex historical context, West Lancashire Planning officers are recommending that councillors approve Burscough FC’s expansion plans, albeit with specific conditions. This recommendation sets the stage for a critical decision that will undoubtedly shape the future of the football club, its neighbours, and the cherished local landscape.
