PLANS to redevelop the old football ground at Faraday Road, Newbury, have been criticised as ‘extremely poor’ and lacking ‘detail’.

West Berkshire Council want to use the ground as a multi-use games area temporarily, before the land is redeveloped and used for building flats.

Football was played at Faraday Road for more than a century, but last June the council ended Newbury Football Club’s lease. The new games area could be opened this summer.

Rick Jones (Conservative, Tilehurst & Purley), the lead councillor for public health and community wellbeing, said: “We are obviously trying to open it as fast as we can.

“We are currently going through a planning process, which will be quickly followed by a procurement to have the multi-use games area installed and opened as fast as possible.”

He said the council has budgeted £88,000 for the plans.

However, Sports England said the plans ‘lack detail’ and are ‘extremely poor’.

Richard Somner (Conservative, Tilehurst South & Holybrook), the lead councillor for transport and countryside, said: “As with all constructive criticism and feedback, officers will take the comments of Sports England on board and will learn from them.”

Cllr Somner said more information and clarity is usually asked for during the planning process.

He said: “The time and effort officers spent preparing plans and documents for what is for temporary use of this land, was entirely proportionate.”

Paul Morgan, chair of the Newbury Community Football Group, also criticised the plans.

He said: “It’s obvious they have not taken any consultation whatsoever, they are not talking to anyone, they’re not taking advice from anyone, they’re ignoring the FA and Sport England.

“There’s no business case, no justification in terms of how much they are going to spend on it, and it’s outrageous quite frankly.

“It’s almost like they are predetermining the outcome of their planning applications, and they shouldn’t do that.

“It hasn’t gone through public consultation, it hasn’t gone through a formal planning process, and they’re assuming they’re going to get planning permission to build flats on Faraday Road, which we believe they won’t.”

You can view the plans on the council’s website, and comment in support or objection here.