Shrewsbury Town fans back club over training ground bid
A Shrewsbury Town supporters' group has backed the football club's bid to switch a community covenant to its existing training pitch.
The football club wants to move the section 106 agreement from a piece of land which has now been given planning permission for a new Lidl store to the training ground behind the South Stand.
Shropshire Council's central planning committee last month deferred making its decision and it is expected to be reviewed at this month's meeting.
The new community facility would be run by Shrewsbury Town in the Community and the Shrewsbury Town Supporters Parliament has released a statement backing the club's plans.
The statement said: "We wish to go on record and convey our disappointment at the council's decision not to transfer the S106 community covenant from the proposed Lidl development area to the current training pitch at the rear of the stadium.
"Our role is to represent the supporter base and help the local community in dialogue with the club.
"On notification of Lidl's application the supporters' parliament held detailed discussions with the club regarding the loss of a potential playing space to the front of the stadium.
"Following long discussion we felt that the transfer of the S106 covenant from what is currently a completely unusable piece of land for recreational activity to a near perfect playing surface used by the club's first team for 10 years was a perfect solution to our concerns.
"If it had not been so we would have also, on behalf of the local community, objected to the proposals.
"We believe the councillors need to look at the positive aspects transferring the covenant will bring, including increased community activity on site and all-year round use of the stadium site for community projects which currently can't be achieved due to lack of a reasonable playing surface.
"The aim of our group is to safeguard both the club but also maintain the supporter and community links the club has and help those flourish. This can be given a huge boost by granting the S106 transfer and give the local community a facility they can truly use."
The group has also invited councillors to meet with them to discuss why they believe it is imperative for the section 106 to be transferred.
At last month's central planning committee meeting, concerns were raised about the potential loss of playing field space if the section 106 agreement was transferred, allowing Lidl to build its store on the Oteley Road site.
