'Small club U's got preferential treatment in planning row'

3:00pm Monday 7th January 2013 in News

RESIDENTS have hit out at councillors who backed plans for Colchester United to use its Tiptree training ground for longer.

Colchester Council planning committee granted the club permission at a meeting attended by about 250 people on Thursday.

The club had argued the extra hours are needed in order to gain category two Premier League youth academy status, which would put the club on a par with some of the top clubs in England.

But Terry Shuttleworth, a spokesman for the campaigners, said: “The club offered no convincing argument as to why their Grange Road facility should be open seven days a week between August and April other than the fact that by seeking Premier League academy status without having the required facilities, they have bitten off more than they can chew.”

He added: “It seems that in modern Britain everyone must bow down to the Great God Football.

“Why else would a group of councillors elected to serve and protect the interests of ordinary hard-working families simply cave in to the demands of Robbie Cowling?"

Approval means the Grange Road training ground can be used between 9.30am and 3.30pm on weekdays between August and April and between 10am and 5pm on weekdays in July, but the residents claimed a small victory, with councillors agreeing no tournaments, youth or otherwise, can take place between May and June.

The application was approved by seven votes to four.

Mr Shuttleworth added: “Once again, a very small football club, of an average gate of 3,500, gets a very big leg-up from Colchester Council.

Theresa Higgins, chair of the planning committee, said: “We are a quasi judicial committee and we have to follow the laws of the land.

“When a planning application comes before us, in order to refuse it, we have to have material planning considerations.

“During the debate, nobody offered a motion for refusal. The only proposal was one for acceptance with conditions.”

Comments(15)

TheCaptain says...
3:19pm Mon 7 Jan 13

When will these people stop complaining?

I like the fact that the little victory is no training in May and June. I believe this is when footballers are on holiday.

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Say It As It Is OK? says...
3:44pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Teresa Higgins says the planning committee are a quasi judicial committee who has to follow the laws of the land?

If that is the case why did the very same planning committee, who placed conditions on the original application, not enforcce those conditions and in doing so follow the laws of the land?

Surely previous conditions were a valid reason for refusal!

Of course the usual suspects will say Blah, Blah, Blah but clearly the integraty and actions of council officers and the councillors, who approved this application, is at the least a very questionable decision.

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TheCaptain says...
4:01pm Mon 7 Jan 13

The conditions on the original agreed application were fine at the time. Things change and new hours were required. A planning application was submitted and passed as per the law. What is the problem.

Planning applications are submitted and passed (or refused) changing use conditions. Nothing odd have happened.

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super waluigi says...
4:28pm Mon 7 Jan 13

Apart from provocation towards everyone who reads this story, regardless of their opinions towards the training ground and its hours, this new thread adds nothing.

It is funny how people (counsellors and spokesman included) speak nonsense when arguing a case.

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Say It As It Is OK? says...
4:35pm Mon 7 Jan 13

TheCaptain wrote:
The conditions on the original agreed application were fine at the time. Things change and new hours were required. A planning application was submitted and passed as per the law. What is the problem.

Planning applications are submitted and passed (or refused) changing use conditions. Nothing odd have happened.
Blah, Blah. Nothing changed! Robbie Cowling ignored the conditions as soon as Florence Park was completed. Whatever anyone says that's fact.

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angryman!!! says...
4:40pm Mon 7 Jan 13

How about another small victory they won't use it at 3 o'clock on Saturdays.
I can't wait to see the day cowling sells the land off for housing and its full of social housing with Londons off spill filling it up, what a silly little man, what on earth has the size of the clubs support got to do with it, do bigger supported clubs need to train longer? Gimp

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wearebeingwatched says...
5:24pm Mon 7 Jan 13

TheCaptain wrote:
When will these people stop complaining?

I like the fact that the little victory is no training in May and June. I believe this is when footballers are on holiday.
Although this is the time when the club run a lot trial games to look at new players, be these young or those that are out of contract at other clubs. So it is actually a bigger loss to the club than it seems on the face of it.

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Boris says...
6:26pm Mon 7 Jan 13

"Mr Shuttleworth added: “Once again, a very small football club, of an average gate of 3,500, gets a very big leg-up from Colchester Council."
.
I should think so too. Colchester United puts the town on the map. People who have never heard of Colchester Castle or its park, or Jumbo, let alone the VAF, have all heard of the famous CUFC. Who has heard of Terry Shuttleworth?
Somebody posts here from time to time demanding independence for Tiptree. Why doesn't Mr Shuttleworth lead a movement for independence? Then, when he has succeeded, he can nationalise the CUFC training ground, and turn it back into open park land or whatever his faithful followers want to see.

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Dillinga says...
8:40pm Mon 7 Jan 13

"Terry Shuttleworth, a spokesman for the campaigners, said: “The club offered no convincing argument as to why their Grange Road facility should be open seven days a week between August and April"

And it would seem Mr Shuttleworth and his NIMBY brigade could offer no convincing argument why it shouldn't.

Common sense 1-0 Sad acts

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Feisty CBC says...
9:58pm Mon 7 Jan 13

What the Tiptree residents opposed to the "extended hours" failed to realise was although the hours may be extended it doesn't mean they will be utilised. Simply gained to achieve category two Premier League youth academy status.

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Dug says...
7:06am Tue 8 Jan 13

Tiptree is just a very large, boring village.

I had the misfortune to work there for several years and one of the biggest bonuses about changing jobs was that I now only very rarely visit the place!

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Clacc says...
7:26am Tue 8 Jan 13

"Mr Shuttleworth added: “Once again, a very small football club, of an average gate of 3,500, gets a very big leg-up from Colchester Council."

What's this once again then
Mr S'**** ?

If you were actually a local man you'd know that although our gates might be lower than the size of the town merits ,in fact there's a lot of affection for Colchester United amongst real local people. In those people's eyes (as in my own) you must seem a very petty person indeed.

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Clacc says...
7:28am Tue 8 Jan 13

Ooops I posted Mr S'C.o.c.k by mistake and was automatically edited.

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whittle1 says...
8:43pm Tue 8 Jan 13

Dug wrote:
Tiptree is just a very large, boring village.

I had the misfortune to work there for several years and one of the biggest bonuses about changing jobs was that I now only very rarely visit the place!
Did you work for Cowling then Dug? Tiptree's actually a great place to work and is clearly a much better place without a moronic idiot such as you. Good riddance.

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Dug says...
7:28pm Sat 12 Jan 13

Tee hee Whittle! Your comment was pointed out by friends of mine, as I'd moved on to more important news...

To answer your question, Colchester United will get what they deserve. I couldn't care less where they finish this season. I couldn't care less about Cowling either.

My point was that Tiptree is an extremely large and very boring village, nothing more.

Pray, tell me what it has to offer to any visitor? Wilkins Jam visitors' area? Mo's Cafe? the Anchor Pub? the New Times? LOL!!

Also look up idiot and moron, as the context of your statement makes you look stupid.

I'm from Brightlingsea - a proper community!

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