Parish council near Stafford withdraws sports pitch application
A parish council has pulled its plans to turn unused farmland into a community sports pitch – just days before the application was set to be refused permission – but hopes remain that the project will go ahead eventually.
Stafford Borough Council’s planning officers had recommended the proposals for land next to the former runway at Hixon Airfield should be rejected because of concerns a high pressure gas pipeline running underneath the site would lead to an increased risk to public safety.
Planning officers also said that lack of parking on the site off New Road could increase the number of vehicles parked along the highway, increasing risk of danger for other road users.
But Hixon Parish Council chairman Brendan McKeown, who also represents the area on the borough authority, said the pipeline runs underneath the road too – and plans had recently been passed for two more industrial developments nearby that would add more vehicles onto the local highways.
A decision was due to be made on the application at a planning committee meeting on September 2. The proposals were withdrawn last week following an objection from the highways authority and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advising against the plans.
The response from the HSE said: “There are sufficient reasons on safety grounds for advising against the granting of planning permission in this case. Major hazard sites/pipelines are subject to the requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which specifically includes provisions for the protection of the public.
“However, the possibility remains that a major accident could occur at an installation and that this could have serious consequences for people in the vicinity. Although the likelihood of a major accident occurring is small, it is felt prudent for planning purposes to consider the risks to people in the vicinity of the hazardous installation.”
The response from an officer at Staffordshire County Council – the local highways authority – said: “There are no parking restrictions on New Road, so I have concerns that due to there being no facility shown for car parking, visitors to the pitch will park on the public highway, which will cause safety issues.
“The pitch is located east of the railway line bridge so if vehicles start to park to the west of the site, vehicles heading towards the village coming from the A51 over the bridge will have to cross into the line of oncoming traffic due to the parking of vehicles.”
But Councillor McKeown said: “They say too many vehicles are going to be on that road and fear for pedestrians’ safety. Yet they had no problem allowing an application with 420 parking spaces – off the same access road – in July.
“I am confident the parking issues can be resolved. I am waiting for a response from (gas distribution network) Cadent. We’re still in hope that Cadent can overrule the HSE.
“The HSE have said although the possibility of an explosion is very remote they don’t think the risk is worth it. But this gas pipeline extends underneath a public footpath and a highway.
'Much-needed'
“Hundreds of vehicles pass over this pipeline every single day – including abnormal loads from a company next door – and people walk over it. But you can’t have 22 people playing football on it once a fortnight – I’m baffled by the decision.”
Stafford Borough Council received 30 responses from residents in support of the application however.
An Ivy Court resident said: “This would be excellent use of the land as it could be used by the local community. It would available for all ages in the village and something we are currently lacking.
“A local football team has recently been reset up after many years but are lacking in facilities. This is encouraging young people from the village to be part of a local team and includes their families and helps bring the community together.
“It can also be used by other team sports and age groups encouraging fitness for all. Fundraising and sporting activities brings the community together and is something to be supported and encouraged.”
A Hammonds Croft resident said: “With the start of Hixon FC again, it has helped bring the village together. We have the lads playing and the supporters watching.
“The school is out the way and the pitch there is exceptionally difficult to use at the best of times with hidden ditches, a running track in it and a rounders pitch. This facility will enable Hixon FC to have a set area to train and play, supporters will have ease of access and it lets the school utilise their field.”
A Ridgway resident said: “This is a very important application and very much deserves the support of the borough council in order that a much-needed facility is brought into operation to further develop the already hugely well-supported Hixon FC.
"On its own, the football club is a superb innovation for the village in a community activity sense, but now it has the potential to become even better established as part of village life if it is allowed to develop a fit for purpose and permanent home.
“A football pitch might seem like a small and relatively prosaic requirement, but, in the same way that professional football clubs have shown by aspiring to new stadiums they can then go on to achieve larger and greater things, so that can happen for Hixon FC.
"The benefits of this would not only be seen on the pitch, but also, again, as with professional clubs, in the heart of the Hixon community and amongst the local residents.”
