Locks Heath Football Club could miss out on a hard-earned promotion after its bid to get extra use out of its floodlights was restricted by Fareham councillors.
The club, riding high at the top of the Hampshire Premier League and on course for promotion, sought planning permission to use the floodlights more often to meet the requirements of the Wessex League, which is where they could be playing next season.
The club can currently use the floodlights on 25 occasions in a calendar year for training but not matches and wanted to increase that to 72 times for both – and more than once a week.
But when nearby residents concerned about swearing, noise and light pollution affecting them complained Fareham Borough Council’s planning committee gave a compromise decision.
Councillors approved a trial period of 12 months for the floodlights to be used 50 times in one year, although only 25 times for matches and only once during the mid-week period for either training or a match.
Dougie Leask, chairman of the club, said the decision could affect the club’s hopes of promotion to the Wessex League because fixtures – which are dictated by the league – could include evening games for two of the five teams in a mid-week.
Locks Heath FC’s home ground at the recreation ground
He said the club will be considering whether or not to appeal the decision.
“I’m not happy at all,” he said. “It’s the league that determines when the fixtures are. We’re trying to get a promotion but they won’t accept us under these circumstances.
“The bottom line is everything we’ve worked for to build the club up and the success we’ve had this season is a total waste. The players that have come in could move to other clubs because they’re capable at playing at a higher level and won’t be able to under these circumstances.”
The club, based at Locks Heath Recreation Ground in Warsash Road applied to vary a condition on the floodlights to enable matches and training during the darker winter periods to be lit up for the players.
Conditions set and approved in a previous application in 2002 were adapted at the council’s meeting on February 27. These are the following:
- The floodlights shall be used for no more than 50 occasions during any one calendar year, with a maximum of 25 occasions for matches.
- The floodlights shall not be used on more than one occasion from Monday to Friday during any one week.
- The floodlights shall not be used at any time on Sunday or a recognised public holiday.
- The floodlights shall not be switched on before 3.30pm and, with the exception of matches when the floodlights shall be switched off by 10pm, they shall be switched off by 9.15pm the same day.
- No grounds maintenance machinery, including lawnmowers, shall be used whilst the floodlights are in use.
It was also recommended by planning officers that illumination periods should not be more than three and a half hours.
Three of the five teams at Locks heath Football Club are expected to play evening games. The first and reserve teams usually play evening matches on alternate mid-weeks, but the ladies side could also be set an evening game during the same mid-week as either of these teams.
Mr Leask said if this was to happen under the new conditions it could cause problems for the teams.
He said: “If they carried on in the league and had a clash we could not fulfil our fixtures because we could only play one evening a week, we would get fined and lose points and so we would not be able to compete in the league for that very reason.
“We’re certainly considering appealing because of the knock on effect it is going to have.”
Fifteen letters from residents living nearby the pitch objected to the planning application concerned about swearing during the football and the impact of this on them during the evening when training or matches occur.
One record of complaint about noise and swearing has officially made to the council.
Councillor David Swanbrow, who lives in Sarisbury Green, said he could hear the noise during football matches.
He said: “People living by the club must hear a lot of noise and swearing. I have a lot of sympathy. I think people need to come forward in this year if there is a problem.”
Mr Leask told The Gazette club members had signed the Respect campaign, which included not using foul language and added: “We’re doing everything possible that we can. We can control what goes on on the pitch, but we can’t control what goes on in a public park.
“If people want to come in when the football is on, shouting and swearing and throwing beer cans, they can. How can we be held liable for that?”
Fareham council approved the plans, with adapted conditions, for temporary permission, during which time residents should raise any concerns or issues via the council’s formal complaints procedure.