Wellingborough Whitworth FC oppose Stanton Cross plans to build surface water basin

A Wellingborough football club says their ability to provide grassroots sports will be seriously jeopardised if a developer’s plans are approved.

Those behind the Stanton Cross project have outlined a bid to build a surface water basin as part of Route 2, alongside the Embankment.

But plans submitted to North Northamptonshire Council show that it would extend to the centre circle of the Millers pitch at Wellingborough Whitworth FC and could shrink the number of available playing fields at the Victoria Mill Ground, a place that houses 18 different teams of varying ages and abilities.

Wellingborough Whitworth FC’s official letter of objection said: “The football club has offered to work with both the planning authority (NNC) and with Bovis to resolve the conflict with the proposals and the resulting loss of playing fields. This offer has not been taken up by Bovis who continue to ignore offers to work with them to find a satisfactory solution.”

The club also say no alternatives have been proposed as part of the plans and that the development is contrary to Sport England’s Playing Fields Policy.

Speaking on the possible event of relocation, club chairman Martin Goodes said: “We’ll have to find council pitches elsewhere to play on.”

Nicknamed ‘The Flourmen’, the organisation has been in operation since 1973 and has since become a staple of Wellingborough’s sporting landscape.

The disruption could alter the fabric of the club which prides itself on being a grassroots-led developmental product, bringing players through the youth system in a bid to retain them long-term.

Bovis purchased the land on which the club is located from Whitworth Holdings in December 2009, with Whitworth Holdings leasing part of the land back on the same date.

In response to claims made by the club, a Vistry spokesman said: “We were more than happy to discuss the various options with both the council and Whitworth FC.

"The current design minimises the loss of sports pitches as much as possible.

"If Whitworth FC and the council have alternative compliant options, we would be happy to carry out a review.”

You can have your say on the plan here.