A COMMUNITY football club says its plans for new facilities in Crewe should be considered as part of conditions attached before a housing scheme is given the go-ahead on the former Crewe LMR ground.

The Guinness Partnership wants to build 73 homes on the site in Goddard Street on which a football pitch, stand and social club once stood.

The derelict land is the subject of a planning application due to be considered by Cheshire East Council's southern planning committee tomorrow (August 25).

Planning officers are recommending it is approved with the proviso that £80,000 is funnelled into improving football pitches at Sutton Lane in Middlewich as part of a Section 106 agreement, which asks developers to provide compensation for the loss of public open space.

But officials at Crewe FC, who currently rent facilities at the Crewe's Cumberland Arena, are mystified why their plans for a new football complex in Crewe are not on the radar of the planners, instead of pitches in a neighbouring town 10 miles away.

The club - which runs around 20 teams for juniors, girls and women up to its senior Cheshire League men's side - has completed a feasibility study and master plan outlining their plans, which are at a pre-application stage while a business case is being put together for the project.

Among the potential sites assessed by Crewe FC as suitable for a new base is unused land on King George V Playing Fields, which the club hopes it might secure ownership for via a community asset transfer.

The Goddard Street site is now in the ownership of The Guinness Partnership which plans to build an development of 42 independent living apartments and 31 houses, all affordable homes, on it.

Crewe FC Chairman Steve Parker said: "We had looked into Goddard Street, but it had been bought by Guinness to develop houses on.

"Because they have got an old football pitch they have to replace the facilities with section 106 funding.

"We have engaged a firm of sports consultants to identify a site for us in Crewe and they came back with what is some overgrown land on George Playing Fields on which there used to be two tennis courts.

"It is the best place for our facilities. But it seems odd that this funding is being allocated to improve pitches in Middlewich. Why not pitches in Crewe as a minimum?"

Although the former Goddard Street football pitch has not been used since 2007 and the site is fenced off without public access, council planning policy views it is still as a "designated playing pitch in policy terms".

In a summary to tomorrow's planning meeting, the council states: "In this instance the majority of the site is located on an area of land which is designated as protected open space.

"The development would amount to the loss of this playing pitch, and in line with policy a site has been identified, through the process of a feasibility study for an off-site contribution of £80,000 to be spent which would help create a wider improved sports facility at Sutton Lane playing fields.

"The green spaces officer has agreed that this is a suitable mitigation proposal."

But Sport England retains a "holding objection" on the site, which means Cheshire East would need to consult with it further on the finer details of funding the Middlewich site if it approves the housing scheme.

Among residents objecting to the scheme are several who cite the loss of green space and want to see the land used for a community-based project such as a park or community centre.

Crewe FC have enlisted the support of Crewe and Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan and local ward councillor Connor Naismith and the club's chairman added: "It seems on the face of it there would be a good opportunity to have some conversations with Sport England and the Guinness Partnership where a solution could easily be found if we were able to progress with the re-provisioning and development of the wasteland identified at King George Playing Fields."

The southern planning committee meets at 10am tomorrow at Sandbach Town Hall.