A South London council has opposed plans to replace an “eyesore” football clubhouse, despite the project receiving over 300 letters of support from residents.
Bromley Council has received plans from Orpington Football Club for a new sports pavilion in Goddington Park in Orpington.
The plans seek to demolish the current sports clubhouse in order to put up a new two storey sports pavilion, equipment store and fencing.
The current clubhouse reportedly has four changing rooms and two bathrooms with football and rugby pitches beside it.
The new building would include a large function room, meeting room, external balcony and a disabled toilet.
The application has received 336 letters of response from locals, who said there was a need for an updated facility for the club and highlighted its potential use as a social hub for residents.
They also said the current club is inaccessible for wheelchair users and parents with buggies, with Kent County Football League saying the current building hindered the progress of Orpington Football Club to participate in higher level sport.
One local resident said in their objection: “The current building is ugly, dated and in poor condition. It offers small value to the community and football club. It is an eyesore in the middle of the park.
“The new building will serve the whole community well, have use for those using the playground and help keep young people active, fit and mentally well.”
Council officers said in their report that while the current pavilion was in poor condition, they worried about how the football club’s presence would conflict with other park users.
They advised that the plans be rejected given the proposal could potentially adversely affect the character of the park area because of the prominence of the club.
They said in their report: “The proposal would comprise inappropriate development within the green belt by definition, it would be harmful to its openness and would conflict with the purposes of including land within it.
“There are no other considerations of sufficient weight and uniqueness to clearly outweigh the harm identified.”
A previous set of similar plans, with a larger pavilion and garage, was rejected by the council in September 2022 for similar reasons.
Officers said the current application offers a number of non-essential features which would be superfluous to the activities provided by the club
The plans for the new sports pavilion for Orpington Football Club will be discussed at a planning meeting for Bromley Council on Thursday November 9.
