The applicaition for housing on our ground together with Coors proposals for relocating the sports facilities on our site was refused by the officers a East Hants District Council (the local planning authority) before it was allowed to come to the planning committee of elected councillors.
There were six reasons for refusal. Among them was the inadequate provision of replacement sporting facilities. So good news at that point (early December).
We await a renewed application for housing and the adequate provision of replacement sporting facilities. The local press only recently reported that Coors still consider their replacement of sporting facilities to be adequate and to meet planning regulations.
They offered to replace the bowls club, add two tennis courts to those at Jubilee to replace the redundant ones at Bass and provide an ATP (artificial turf pitch) at Eggars school for school and community use.
In addition they would make a contribution towards upgrading the Alton United stadium in Anstey Park to Wessex League standards.
The problem is Alton United are quite happy where they are (and rightly so) and the Wessex League don't allow ground sharing anyway. But Coors say 'it is not up to us to decide who plays there, we are just providing a Wessex League standard stadium for the town'.
So we anticipate Coors next application to be pretty much the same as the last in terms of not providing us with a new stadium.
I am conitinuing to argue our case with the authorities - fear not on that score - but we need to re-energise our 'sign this petition' campaign so that we have as much ammunition poised and ready for when the next application comes in.
Click HERE to download a petition form.
Click HERE to sign our online petition.
Be not of faint heart Alton Town people!
Jim Mckell
Alton Town FC Chairman