Saturday 20th March 2010 | Martin Williams
Llangennech Football Club currently plays most of its' home games at Llangennech Park on a pitch which is shared by the village rugby club and is used by the general public.
That means that we as a club alone have two senior and six junior sides training and playing matches here as well as the rugby club having sides at all ages training and playing matches here most days of the week. The pitch is clearly being overused.
Occasionaly football and rugby games can clash at the Park and with the pitch being shared 50/50 between the two clubs, we are sometimes forced to play "home" games outside of the village.
Therefore the club has come to the conclusion that to further our promotion of football in the village we need our own facilities.
For over the last decade or so, the club has been seeking land within the village with the potential to hold a full size soccer (or possibly two) pitch with first class changing rooms and car parking space to boot. Three main locations have been discussed in this time at Pontarddulais Road, Penllwyngwyn Road and at the site of the old MOD centre.
Pontarddulais Road
Initially, land situated behind Pontarddulais Road was deemed to be ideal. The club applied for planning permission with the following result:
On 22nd of November 2001 the Development Control Board of Carmarthenshire County Council ruled that the club be given permission to erect our own facilities at Pontarddulais Road, Llangennech. The following is part of the minutes of the meeting:
PROPOSED FOOTBALL FIELD AT PT. ENC. 8737, OFF PONTARDDULAIS ROAD, LLANGENNECH, LLANELLI
Mr. Stuart Owen reminded Members that a site visit had been proposed in April 2001 but on arrival on site discussions between the residents and the applicant meant that the Board did not enter onto the site as there appeared to be an agreement that an alternative site would be more satisfactory. Since then all parties had sought other sites but none have become available. The applicant had now requested that as no alternative had become available that the original application be considered. Members were circulated with a plan of the proposed playing field. The Highways Authority were happy with the access subject to conditions. It was proposed to have landscaping between the car park and changing rooms and the dwellings with the pitch being sited on the other side of the changing rooms. Although the suggestion had been that the car park and changing rooms be positioned further away from the dwellings Mr. Stuart Owen felt that if the changing rooms were located close to the landscaping it would act as a buffer for any noise.
Mr. Stuart Owen reported that he had received a letter from the Local Member Councillor Mrs. Gwyneth Thomas who apologised for her absence but although recognised that there was a need for a football pitch in Llangennech, all attempts to find an alternative had failed. She had reservations regarding the chosen location, as there would be a loss of privacy and quiet to the street and on a highway safety ground as there could be on-street parking. Active negotiations were still continuing to find another location.
The Chair invited Mr. Eiddon Taylor on behalf of the residents to speak.
Mr. Taylor informed Members that he was representing over 30 residents who objected to the proposal. Although they recognised that the village needed a football pitch they objected to the location and layout on the grounds of road safety, litter, noise and security. Any footballs landing in the gardens could not only cause injury to people and children but also damage to properties. The erection of a fence at the bottom of the gardens did not appeal to residents as it would change the character of the area. Mr. Taylor also felt that the car parking area was inadequate and would result in cars being parked on the road which had been identified for traffic calming measures. The access road was opposite a children's playing area and with cars parked on the road then visibility for the house drives would be impaired. Mr. Taylor quoted an incident on a Saturday afternoon when the rugby team was playing at home, problems were encountered with cars being parked on the road even as far up as Pontarddulais Road. He felt that the Director of Social Care and Housing supported the noise nuisance and loss of quality of life due to whistles, foul language etc. which would be clearly audible within the houses. He enquired whether a risk assessment had been carried out as to the effect it would have on the area. He felt that a change of use from grazing to a playing field that schools could use as well as a gathering place for young people, would have a detrimental effect on the quality of life of residents to the area.
Mr. Stuart Owen reported that a petition in support of the proposal had been received that morning which contained hundreds of signatures, although some were from outside Llangennech.
The Chair invited Mr. Barry Williams on behalf of the Football Club to speak. Mr. Williams pointed out that the Planning Officers were happy with the parking arrangements and felt that it would be safe. He also pointed out that a colliery used to be sited nearby and it was now proposed to locate a coal tip there. He did not feel that this application would affect the value of the houses.
Mr. Stuart Owen reported that fencing should not be placed at the rear of the gardens but in fact behind the goal line adjacent to the pitch in order to protect both the cars and the gardens. He reiterated the fact that the Highways Authority were satisfied with the proposals and they met the criteria laid down in both the Local and County Planning Policies.
RESOLVED that the application be approved.
Source: http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/agendas/eng/ODCB20011213/REP04_3.htm
However the proceedings became stuck as it emerged that the club could not secure the necessary funding to buy the land from a local farmer.
Penllwyngwyn Road
The club then turned its' attentions to a field adjacent to Penllwyngwyn Road. This land is owned by the council and the club proposed to lease it and gain planning permission to erect changing rooms and a car park adjacent to the proposed pitch itself. This would make the club eligible for various grant schemes.
In November 2005, the club met with the Community and County Councils at the site of the proposed new pitch, and both gave their approval and backing to the project however we were told that the local farmer had a five year lease on the land which would not be terminated before it expired.
Davies Richards Architects were approached by the club to do the planning for the Penllwyngwyn site. They arranged a meeting with the Highways Agency to discuss transport access to the site and received a positive response.
Although this site has not been completley discarded by the club, it has never been a favoured option due to its' location at the top of the hill, almost outside the village. When it was announced that the Ministry of Defence would be pulling out of Llangennech in 2008, the club immediately decided to see what could be done to get soccer facilities on what would be the most ideal location within the village.
Ministry Of Defence Site
By 2008 the club was expanding rapidly with 4 new junior and 1 girls team being formed. The need for our own facilities was becoming more and more desperate but with Richard "Tish" Thomas acting as the club's representative in communications with the relevant authorities, it seemed that progress was being made.
In March 2009 it was announced that Carmarthenshire County Council had bought the 37 acre site and sold it straight on to R&A Properties. As part of the sale a clause was put in place allowing the council to buy back a designated area for use as a football pitch for £1 any time before May 2014.
A Community Facility
On 9th June 2010 a meeting was held between the Football Club, the County Council, the Community Council and R&A Properties. David Pickering and Nigel Lovering of R&A Properties confirmed that they wanted to move the new football pitch to an alternative site. As part of the deal, they would purchase the land and prepare the football pitch. In order to allow for the maximum community use of the new facility Mr Pickering stated that he would like the playing surface to be made from 4th Generation Artifical Turf which had just been approved by FIFA and the IRB for use at the highest level in football and rugby.
R&A Properties showed the meeting panel their suggested alternative site which is behind the Community Centre. Work had already been done to remove trees from the area but the pitch would need to extend onto Community Council land with further complications of a stream and a footpath in the way. Carmarthenshire County Council will now investigate the feasability of the project before taking it any further.
