Football club's pitch plans draw safety concerns
Ashford Town FC play in the shadow of the Esso West London Oil Terminal
- Published
A football club's application for a new pitch next to a petrol storage site is facing rejection due to safety concerns.
Ashford Town FC's bid to install an artificial grass pitch will be considered by Spelthorne Borough Council’s planning committee on Wednesday.
But the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recommended that the application be rejected because of the numbers of people who will use the site.
Club vice chairman Paul Gully said: “If the 3G doesn't go in, the club would probably cease to exist.”
The club's Robert Parker Stadium, south of Heathrow Airport, is adjacent to the Esso West London Oil Terminal.
The current grass pitch is unable to be used in the winter and the quality and condition of it restricts how much it can be used, according to planning documents.
The club wants to install an artificial grass pitch at the ground, with floodlighting.
Mr Gully said the club is “on its knees” financially and a new 3G pitch would allow more playing time and generate more income. He said relations with Esso are good.
The HSE said there was sufficient safety reasons to advise against granting planning permission as the proposed development represents "an intensification of use" within the proximity of a large scale petrol storage site.
It said the Esso West London Oil Terminal was similar to the Buncefield fuel depot in Hemel Hempstead, where a fire and a series of explosions in 2005 injured more than 40 people.
A HSE spokesperson said: “We have advised against this proposal as it would increase the number of people being exposed to fire and explosion hazards in the unlikely event of a major accident at the fuel terminal.
“While we understand the frustrations of the club, we support the local authority in their recommendation to refuse planning permission due to the important need to mitigate against the consequences of a major accident.”
Esso has been contacted for comment.
Ashford Town's women’s team plays in the South East Division One, while the men’s team is in the Isthmian League South Central Division.
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