Cheshire East Council has confirmed it is still on the lookout for a new Crewe football pitch - following the loss of the former LMR to a housing development.

When planning permission was granted for the Goddard Street development - Guinness were ordered to pay £80,000 in compensation for the building of 73 homes on sports land.

In case you missed it: Crewe housing development begins at site of former football pitch.

Funds from the Guinness Partnership (S106) are yet to be in the hands of the council.

Middlewich was initially considered as an option by Cheshire East Planning officers, who recommended the £80,000 being funnelled into improving football pitches at Sutton Lane.

Officials at Crewe FC were furious that plans for a new football complex in Crewe was not on the radar of the planners - instead of pitches in a neighbouring town 10 miles away.

Crewe FC suggested that the derelict Queens Park tennis courts on the King George V Playing Fields would be a good site - this has since been dismissed.

This month, the council were looking at using these funds on a potential site in Haslington, although this has now been ruled out.

A Cheshire East Council spokesperson said: "The council continues to seek out a suitable site for a replacement pitch to compensate for the loss of the Crewe LMR football pitch.

"While a site in Haslington was among those listed, unfortunately it was on a lease to the council, which is about to expire.

"Once the council is in receipt of the S106 allocation arising from the proposed Crewe housing development on the LMR site, the process to identify an alternative site will continue."

Sport England retains a "holding objection" on a football pitch site, which means Cheshire East would need to consult with the public body on where a pitch can be located.

Former Treasurer of the LMR, David Parker, told Nub News this month where he believed the new football pitch should be.

The 64-year-old said: "McLaren Street would be as good as a place as anywhere. It has a large grass area for a pitch, right now it is such a big field going to waste."

Local councillors have been frustrated at the time it is taking to find a new football pitch site.

Leader of 'Putting Crewe First' - Brian Silvester stated: "The question the people of Crewe want answered is - where in Crewe is the £80,000 going to be used to provide alternative football/sports pitches and when?

"Is Crewe going to be short changed again? They shouldn't have been allowed to go ahead with the development until a site for the playing fields had been found and bought.

"I fear nothing will be done and Cheshire East will just bank the £80,000."

In case you missed it: 101 years of the LMR club - magnificent memories recalled by the people of Crewe.

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