RESIDENTS believe Colchester United is trying to move the goalposts over its new training ground.
The club has asked Colchester Council for all-day use of pitches at the Florence Park site in Tiptree .
One of 34 conditions attached to planning permission was training should only take place between 10.30am and 1pm, Mondays to Saturdays.
However, the U’s now want their players to be able to practise between 10am and 6pm, on Mondays to Saturdays and from 10am to 1pm on Sundays.
The club recently moved to the £2.5million complex in Grange Road, after years training at Essex University and other sites.
The application comes weeks after neighbours complained to planning enforcement officials, claiming players were breaching conditions by playing well into the afternoon.
Terry Shuttleworth, who lives beside the training ground, said: “They were granted planning consent in the face of vehement opposition from almost everyone in Tiptree.
“To protect our interests, the council imposed strict conditions, which the club were only too happy to live with at the time.
“Just three weeks after moving to the training ground, they ask us to believe they didn’t realise how restrictive the conditions were. The hours they are asking for, including Sunday mornings, are unacceptable. It is vital for the people of Tiptree councillors stand firm in the face of this outrageous manoeuvre and stick to the original conditions.”
His neighbour, Joe Caffery, said: “This latest move is the thin end of the wedge. Let’s hope the council refuses this latest application and gives due consideration to the residents – the residents will certainly oppose this.”
The club have also asked to allow more than two pitches to be used at a time for one-off events, and for removal of a 40m buffer zone between the pitches and any new homes. U’s say they want to achieve a top grade in the Elite Player Performance Plan, which aims to develop youth football.
The club insist flexibility in training hours is essential for the methods coaches use. The higher rating a club receive, the more funding they will receive.
The club’s application states they want to avoid “unnecessary or unreasonable controls” while building “good relationships with the community”. It states: “It is our opinion the three conditions go beyond what is reasonable to control the impacts from this development.” The club were unavailable for comment.
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