Football stand approved
Friday 29th May 2009, 1:24PM BST.
Proposals for a 3,000-seat sports stand near Oswestry have been given the go-ahead – despite fears it could cause traffic chaos.
The New Saints Football Club want to build the stand, as well as a TV gantry, at their ground at The Venue at Park Hall.
The Welsh Premier League outfit need the stand so they can host UEFA Cup games next season.
The proposal has sparked protest from Park Hall residents, who are concerned about the impact the arrival of visiting fans – and up to 1,500 cars – would have.
However, councillors on Shropshire Council’s interim regulatory planning meeting yesterday backed the proposal as long as the club put together a satisfactory “green travel plan” to avoid traffic chaos.
The club also agreed to lower the TV gantry’s height to the level of nearby trees around the stadium.
Councillors heard from the chairman of Whittington Parish Council, Steve Charmley, who said there were concerns council officers had “grossly underestimated” the impact of the development on residents.
The meeting also heard from The Venue’s commercial manager, Lisa Bishop, who said special buses would be put on to shuttle fans to and from the stadium.
She said from the team’s history in Europe it was unlikely there would be any more than three UEFA Cup games played each season.
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