Wood chairman seeks support for new pitch plan

Danny Hunter, the chairman of Boreham Wood Football Club, wants to replace the existing all-weather pitch at Meadow Park with a new, larger synthetic pitch.

He has promised to make it available to Borehamwood's schools and youth football teams, as well as his own players.

This week he appealed for people to support the plan, and said it would benefit the whole of Borehamwood by giving young people something to do and keeping them away from drink and drugs.

He was annoyed that planning officers at Hertsmere Borough Council had said the scheme should not be allowed, because it would take up part of a public park. He said most residents were in favour of the scheme.

Following a story in last week's Borehamwood & Elstree Times, Mr Hunter met with councillors from the planning committee, and listened to their concerns. He has now submitted a new planning application for a smaller pitch. "I don't think there is much more that we can do we have amended the plans in the way people wanted. If it does not succeed now it will be down to short-sightedness," he said.

The amount of park taken up by the pitch would be 20 per cent smaller than what had been proposed before, at 100metres by 60metres, because under the new scheme the fences would be closer to the pitch.

Drainage problems in the park would be addressed, and the pitch would be built on an area that is often waterlogged and of no use. The original application was due to be discussed at Hertsmere's next planning meeting, on July 4, but because it has been changed, people living nearby will be asked for their opinions about the new scheme, and it will not be considered until August.

Architect Paul Beech, from the firm Huckle Tweddell Partnerships, said the new pitch would be at least 70metres from the nearest houses in Broughinge Road. Under the scheme, the layout of the existing grass pitches in Meadow Park could also be changed, to provide extra capacity in the same space.

June 26, 2002 15:30