Bedlington Terriers FC 'desperate' for artificial pitch but council lease delay continues to threaten project

Bedlington Terriers Football Club wants to install an artificial pitch, which would allow community use of its ground and put an end to drainage issues that have seen several of the first team’s games called off this season.

The club has secured a £600,000 package of investment to make the project a reality but the plans cannot go ahead until a new lease is signed with the local authority, which owns the land, and there is a risk that the investment could be withdrawn if this does not happen.

Despite the plans now being two years in the making and the Northumberland Gazette first reporting a hold up with the lease in November, the council has still not approved a new lease due to “legal issues,” with no prospective timeline for when the approval might come.

David Perry, chair of the football club, said: “We believe they are either fobbing us off or the council has done something very wrong.

“They will not tell us what it is and they will not tell our solicitor what it is either, but they have said it is a legal matter.”

In addition to the “very imminent” risk of losing the finance arrangement for the project, the cost to carry out the work is also liable to increase.

David said: “We had a price for getting the work done. They have been on the phone just last week saying the price of stuff is going up and it is going to be a lot more money.”

The Terriers’ are “desperate” to get a 3G pitch after being forced to play the rest of their games this season away from home due to the amount of weather related postponements there have been.

The club, currently fourth in the Northern Football League Division Two, could be excluded from the play-offs if a better playing surface is not lined up for next season.

Furthermore, arrangements for junior teams, women’s teams, and other community groups to use the pitch cannot be made until there is confirmation that the project will happen.

David said: “The pitch is for the community. It is not just for Bedlington Terriers, it is for the whole community of Bedlington.”

He added: “We have not asked the council for one penny piece. We had it funded all ourselves.

“It is an investment that Bedlington desperately needs and they are going to hinder it.”

Despite owning the land, the council has “had nothing to do with the ground for 35 years” and the field is currently maintained by the football club.

David said: “I would like answers. We have sent emails and they are just saying they cannot give us any information until they take legal advice.”

A Northumberland County Council spokesperson said: “We fully understand the situation the club is in and are doing our best to try to get this matter resolved. We continue to work through legal issues relating to this lease."