Football club counts cost of flats scheme

From the archive, first published Thursday 12th Apr 2007.

Claims that a council's decision to give planning consent to flats next to Braintree Town Football Club was "momentous" have been refuted by the club chairman.

Braintree Council's Braintree area committee backed the application for 35 flats next to the club's ground in Clockhouse Way, Braintree, provided it stumps up £36,000 for open space provision and roads.

Following the meeting, council corporate director Peter Crofts said: "This is a momentous decision for the club and shows how far this council is prepared to go to support the local community.

"We have carefully balanced conflicting demands and now have a result which will give the club everything it needs to move forward, on and off the pitch."

Club chairman Lee Harding said he was bemused by Mr Crofts comments, and added: "This is not a victory, it's a penalty. The council is now effectively asking for 45 per cent. That's not a success as far as we're concerned."

The £36,000 - £23,000 for open space provision and £13,000 for highways - was reduced from £61,000 after councillors negotiated an amendment with officers.

Braintree Town FC bosses spent Easter discussing whether to accept the offer, and although the much-needed redevelopment of the Cressing Road stadium, including a new training pitch and gym, has now been given permission to go ahead, it still hangs in the balance.

A new stand and improvements have already been completed and were officially opened on March 31, but of the further developments, Mr Harding said: "We consider the result of the council meeting to be a qualified success.

"We're obviously pleased that we've got approval, but there has been an increase in our costs and there will be an increase in our spending.

"We are going to have a board meeting to see whether we have the money to do what we want to do. If we don't, we'll have to consider an alternative."

The approval of the application for 35 residential units, ten of which will be affordable homes, now means that the Iron can, in theory, sell the land to Constable Homes for £1 million, taking £600,000 of the profits, and paying £400,000 to the council to buy them out of a covenant on the land.

At the committee meeting, council officers noted the 535-name petition organised by the Braintree and Witham Times in support of the football club and recommended approval of the plan.

Eric Lynch (Lab, Braintree East) said: "I think we should do everything we can to support this football club."