Sports club disappointed as tennis courts to be made into council staff car park

The Up and Comers club, which is aimed at children aged between five and 18, had planned to install a 3G pitch on the old tennis courts at Shirehall in Shrewsbury.

But on Wednesday, Shropshire Council planners agreed to use the site for further car parking for its staff.

This means that the club, which has raised £10,000 of the £25,000 needed for the alterations, will have to look elsewhere.

Simon Lee, chairman of The Up and Comers, which was established in 1973, said he was disappointed with the council’s decision.

Kick in the teeth

“We had planned to have an outline agreement to convert the tennis courts into a multi activity area mainly for junior football,” he said.

“We also use the pitches at Shrewsbury College on London Road and also at a few other venues around the town.

“About six months ago we spoke to Unison about it.

The idea was to do football training on the converted tennis courts and then be able to offer the parents somewhere warm to go and watch and where we could also hold social events, like we do now.

“It is a bit of a kick in the teeth to learn about the council’s plans to convert the tennis courts into parking.”

Mr Lee admitted that the group had not approached the council to ask if their idea of converting the tennis courts to a 3G pitch was possible.

“We are still a bit away from the target needed to do the work but the timing of this is terrible,” he said.

“We will always use the facilities at Shrewsbury College but we had planned to be able to open these up to the community including the local primary schools.”

"It is a tragedy really. We have always wanted to have a facility of our own. We will just have to look for another site. This would have been ideal as it is right in the heart of where our kids are.

"We will survive and this is not going to be the end of the football club. Little people like us have little say."

In an email sent to Shropshire Council chief executive Clive Wright, Abbey Ward councillor Hannah Fraser said: “I’d like to object in the strongest possible terms about the council’s decision.

“The Unison club have been in discussion with the Up and Comers to turn this into a 3G multi-sports pitch, and the project is 50 per cent funded.

"The council is prioritising it’s own short-term interests over that of the community.”