A football club and council have resolved a dispute over training pitches, clearing the way for an £8.7m leisure centre.

Plans for the new leisure centre in Tadworth hit a stumbling block when Banstead Athletic Football Club, known as the A's, refused to give up part of its ground in Merland Rise.

The secretary of state ordered a public inquiry after the club objected to Reigate and Banstead Council’s decision to make a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

But last month it struck a deal with the council, giving up the disputed land in exchange for an undisclosed sum, an extended lease on the rest and a reduced rent.

As a result the council has abandoned plans to use CPO powers to force the club out, negating the need for a public inquiry.

Councillor Norman Harris, who sits on the Banstead Athletic board, said the council would have been up against Football Association lawyers and the inquiry would have involved major costs.

He said: "The Football Association were on their side (Banstead Athletic). It was all turning sour. We all sat down at a table and sorted it out properly as we should have done in the first place."

"Everyone is happy at the moment."

 

Club chairman Terry Molloy said: "We haven't finished the deal yet because we haven't signed the documents. 

"We have agreed in principle but the official documents have not been signed yet.

"The future is hopefully they are going to build astroturf pitches and we can use those. When that will be, I don't know."

Deputy council leader Councillor Vic Broad said: "The site for the new centre is owned by the council but parts of it are leased to third parties.

"We needed to acquire these interests if we were to move forward and build it. We started the compulsory purchase process to ensure the council’s commitments would be met.

"We have been in negotiations with Banstead Athletic Football Club about the acquisition of the training pitch they currently lease from us.

"We have now come to an agreement with the club which means we will be progressing the agreement of terms outside of the compulsory purchase order process."

In April plans were approved for an £8.7m leisure centre to be funded through the creation of 130 new homes.

The proposed centre sports a 25-metre pool, sports hall, dance studios and four five-a-side football pitches.

Its crèche, cafe, community room and hall would replace community space at the Tattenham Community Centre and Phoenix Youth Centre, which would be demolished.

Banstead Village Councillor Sam Walsh said the leisure centre project was on track to finish in the ‘back end’ of 2014.

Coun Walsh said: "From a community point of view they are really looking forward to the investment there. It’s really going to improve the area.

"A huge number of people go to the leisure centre and it would be detrimental if we did not replace it."

Under the plans new homes will be built on the existing Banstead Sports Centre and part of Merland Rise Recreation Ground.

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