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ONE PAPER ... ALL THE NEWS from Dewsbury, Batley, Ossett, Mirfield, Liversedge, Birstall, Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton & Spen Valley
Friday October 21, 2016
12 MONTHS GUARANTEE
No. 760
50p
France honours Batley war veteran WALTER, 93, IS AWARDED THE LEGION D’HONNEUR FOR HIS D-DAY SERVICE / PAGE 5
FINAL WHISTLE? Change to housing plans could be death knell for Liversedge FC, says club president Access to Liversege FC down Quaker Lane, left, is difficult ... but hopes for a new access road to be built as part of a housing development have been dashed
THE PRESIDENT of the highest-ranked football club in North Kirklees believes its days could be numbered. Liversedge FC has been hampered for a number of years by poor access to its Clayborn ground down Quaker Lane, a narrow single track. Hopes were raised that a new housing development nearby would provide an access road to Clayborn up to Hightown Road. Fields to the north and east of Laverhills and Quaker Lane were earmarked for up to 321 homes. But the development was left off Kirklees Council’s draft Local Plan, which was passed last week. The 104-year-old club – currently sitting in second place in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League – has also been told it must upgrade its chang-
ing room facilities before the beginning of next season, or risk being thrown out of the League. But Kirklees Council planning officials will not grant the club per-
mission to update its facilities without better access – something which is now unlikely following the draft Local Plan. Quaker Lane, which leads to the
ground, is pot-holed, with a lack of footpaths and insufficient space to allow two emergency vehicles to pass. The club has also been embroiled in a long-running row with Quaker Lane residents, who have complained that the road becomes too congested on matchdays. Club president Bob Gawthorpe admitted that he feared for the future of the club. He said: “There isn’t the interest in promoting football in the area. “The idea that sport is good for society doesn’t strike a chord with local councillors or the council. “We cannot get planning permission, despite the problems being created by Kirklees, and I now fear the club’s days are numbered.” The club purchased the pitch
from the council in 2000 for ‘security of tenure’. An agreement means that the land cannot be used for anything other than football until the year 2080. The purchase meant that the club would be able to apply for grants from the Football Association and other regional bodies. However, the public bodies will not hand over cash grants without planning permission in place, leaving the club in a difficult position. As well as Liversedge, a number of junior and community teams use Clayborn, including Gomersal & Cleckheaton Football Club. The club has 280 youngsters playing regularly and also stages an
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