AFTER councillors agreed to investigate grassroots sports facilities in Crewe, a community football club has revealed its ambition to move to a dedicated new site.

Crewe FC is to submit its plans to Cheshire East Council for a new base on land next to King George V Playing Fields in the wake of a decision by the authority's southern planning committee to defer a housing scheme at the derelict site of the former LMR football ground.

The Guinness Partnership has been told to make an £80,000 contribution towards a new football pitch if permission is granted to build 42 apartments and 31 houses on the former LMR site in Goddard Street.

That cash was initially earmarked for playing fields in Middlewich as council officers said they could not find a suitable site in Crewe which could be upgraded.

But Crewe FC says a feasibility study commissioned by the club has identified an area previously occupied by tennis courts on the eastern perimeter of the King George V Playing Fields, next to Queens Park Golf Club's car park, which could be used for a football pitch.

Its consultants are finalising the details of a pre-planning application and drawing up a business case for the scheme based around a 3G pitch.

The land is currently overgrown with shrubbery and Crewe FC says the scheme will improve facilities on the playing fields and "not impose" on the existing sports pitches that are managed by the borough council.

It says it will "potentially support a reduction in anti-social behaviour in and around the playing fields at certain times of the day".

While the provision of a 3G surface would help to make up a shortfall in artificial pitches in the Crewe area previously identified by the Cheshire FA as part of a borough-wide study.

As well as the pitch the scheme includes a new club house with changing rooms and educational facilities, all of which would be available for community use. There would also be covered seating and standing for spectators and a car park with 30 spaces.

It would allow Crewe FC to relocate from the Cumberland Arena where they currently rent facilities from Everybody Leisure.

Formed in 1998, Crewe FC runs nearly 40 football teams for players of all ages, male and female, as well as a mens' first team competing in the Premier Division of the Cheshire Football League.

Chairman Steve Parker said: "We're still growing and we have needed to get our own place so we can grow further. We need a dedicated facility and we have engaged a firm of sports consultants LK2 to look into it for us.

"We'd previously looked at Goddard Street, but it was bought by Wulvern Housing/Guinness Partnership.

"But the consultants have identified the site at the King George Playing Fields as the best place for our new facilities.

"Our plans could provide the replacement facilities that Sport England has asked for if the housing development goes ahead at Goddard Street. The pieces are there but they need to be put together.

"It seems there is a good opportunity to have some conversations with both 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."

Crewe FC also has an alternative site on the western side of the playing fields in mind; that would take up three acres of land from the existing fields, while the club's preferred option would see only 0.7 acres taken up.

The club has launched a consultation to canvass local opinion about its proposals for the derelict land next to King George Playing Fields and the provision of "high-quality community playing facilities in Crewe".

It is being backed by Crewe and Nantwich MP Kieran Mullan, who says it is "totally unacceptable that funding to replace a lost Crewe football facility should be funnelled to another part of the borough.

The MP said: "We need new football facilities in Crewe. Local football teams have told me this again and again.

"I have been working over the past year on bringing a couple of smaller grass sites into use but we need a proper pitch and facility.

"It is totally unacceptable to say this money has to go elsewhere. We need to find a site in Crewe and we can do that if the right amount of effort is put in. Sending the money elsewhere is just an easy option."

The MP says the Crewe FC scheme will transform a wasteland area with minimal disruption to users of the playing fields.

"These plans are really well developed and are as good as any others I have seen and include lots of wider community use," he said.

"Crewe FC have launched a survey to get feedback on their proposal and I would encourage residents to give their views because we need to show public support."

You can find the consultation questionnaire here.