CONCERNS have been raised after Forest Green Rovers FC submitted a planning application seeking to scrap a legal obligation which requires it to build a children's play area.

When planning permission was granted for FGR to build New Lawn stadium in 2005, a Section 106 agreement was included requiring that an area be set aside for youth recreation facilities.

Until those facilities are provided, FGR must allow access to its own site for youth recreation.

For the past eight years, land earmarked for a multi-use games area (MUGA) has remained unused at the far end of the club's car park.

However, in the past few days FGR has submitted a planning application to Stroud District Council asking for the agreement to be removed.

At a meeting of Nailsworth Town Council on Tuesday, June 18, several councillors regretted the lack of progress in securing a MUGA for the town.

Cllr Norman Kay said: "With respect to FGR it has been a sad story."At the beginning they put a lot of applications to the Football Foundation to make a reality of the MUGA but then they began to withdraw interest.

"Town councillors resurrected it a few years ago but it has been an up hill struggle.

"It was quite surprising when FGR considered putting in a planning application for housing there. Nothing came of that but that was indicative of FGR.

"Now they don’t want to make any contributions to a MUGA which is a shame."

Speaking to the SNJ, club chairman Dale Vince said: "It has become clear that nobody wants it built at FGR.

"The consensus among all involved is that a site within Nailsworth Primary School grounds is more suitable for the community but those intending to build and operate it have said they will only do this if the 106 agreement is discharged.

"It is for that reason that we have asked SDC to discharge the 106, so that this MUGA can finally go ahead and be built in the place the community actually wants it."

Phil Skill, head of planning at SDC, said: "As it is a live planning application in its consultation phase anyone interested is free to provide their comments.

"The application will go to a development control meeting later this summer for a decision."

Application S.13/1140/106R can be found at www.stroud.gov.uk/planning