Wish list for Rovers' site (From Stroud News and Journal)

Wish list for Rovers' site

A WISH list of needs is to be drawn up by Nailsworth residents now that the controversy over the Highwood site looks set to be finally resolved.

In what has been described as a win, win, win situation, it seems all the parties involved are likely to be kept happy.

At a packed meeting on Monday night, optimistic residents crowded into the hall at the town's junior school to have their say on the future of the community.

The main idea put forward was to move the Forest Green Rovers stadium from its current site to the under-used and much larger school playing field next door.

The club needs to build a stadium with a capacity of 6,000 by April 2004 or face the possibility of automatic relegation.

Residents who until now have been worried about losing the football club and the lack of facilities were delighted to be told they will have a strong voice in what happens in the community.

"It's important that the community has a say about what they want to happen here," said David Drew MP, who has been chairing meetings between all the interested parties since Forest Green first started looking for another ground.

"We have the opportunity here for a potential win, win, win," said Mr Drew. He said he believed it was possible to keep the football club, improve the school and also deliver better community facilities.

It was stressed that the proposals were very much at the early stages and there were still obstacles which would need to be overcome before they could be realised.

The county council will have to get Government approval before releasing the school playing field to the football club and there will also be issues over where the cash to pay for changes will come from.

But Nailsworth's mayor, Cllr Lesley Williams-Allen said she was very optimistic the proposals will be a success, so long as they have the backing of the community.

Over half the population of Nailsworth live in Forest Green and rapid development of housing over the years has left the area with a serious shortage of facilities.

On Monday, as residents revelled in the opportunity to draw up their own ideas of what the area deserved the eclectic list ranged from the far fetched to the obtainable.

There was an overwhelming desire for better facilities for young people while others wanted to see Forest Green get its own health centre and community shop.

Many people wanted a park-and-ride scheme using the football club's car park when matches were not on.

Less likely to materialise though was the suggestion of an ice rink in the town.

For more Stroud and Nailsworth stories, see this week's News & Journal.