Thatcham council still considering moving the goalposts in Pound Lane field debate

A verdict has still not been reached on what to do with a popular playing field in Thatcham.

Discussions to move the goalposts of an informal playing space on Pound Lane began in early December 2021, when a nearby resident raised concerns over footballs flying over the fence and hitting their car, walls and windows.

Since then, town councillors have suggested creating a new designated informal football pitch on the same field, to prevent the problem happening again.

However, these plans have been met with concern from other nearby residents who say a relocation of the football pitch will negatively impact them in the same way.

As a result, a public consultation recently went out to these neighbouring residents to submit their preferred plans to the local authority.

The council has since been considering six options to help move the ongoing debate forward.

The first, and favoured, option is to shorten the existing informal football pitch by nine metres, flatten and improve the playing area and install goal nets at a cost of £1,799.48

The other options are as follows:

• To create a new pitch area by repurposing a section of wildlife meadow, retaining the existing pitch area as grass, at a cost of £3,166,

• To create a new wildflower area where the existing football pitch is located, following pitch relocation and reduction of wild space for a cost of £860,

• To install a multi-use goal-end at the eastern end of the site at an estimated cost of £10,000 or;

• To keep the pitch as it currently is.

The council is also open to other suggestions that members of the public may have.

In a recent Thatcham recreation and amenities temporary working party meeting, held in late February, town councillors and concerned residents put their heads together to find a solution that will benefit all.

However, locals have raised concerns over how long it will be before an official solution is reached.

One resident called the situation “incredibly stressing” noting that there could still be “months of waiting”.

She said: “I find it really stressful the thought that [the pitch] might get moved to the back of where I live or where my neighbours live.”

Meeting chair Jeremy Cottam reassured those who were concerned and said that,

Councillor Owen Jeffery (Lib Dem, Thatcham Central) reiterated this and said: “Everybody in the council lives in Thatcham so we are very well aware of the sorts of issues that come up.

“We had said in the last meeting that we would consult so I ask this committee to honour that commitment. It would be a mistake to make a decision tonight, whatever decision it was, without going out and doing a consultation that we said we would do in the last meeting.”

Thatcham councillor Simon Pike (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) expressed his favour of the first option to shorten the existing pitch.

He said: “It addresses, to a large extent or possibly completely, the original concern that led to this discussion while also improving the quality of the pitch for the surface for the existing users and making it a bit less like a crazy golf course.”

Mr Cottam seconded this preference and said: “I favourably look upon this new option. It is the best of both worlds, it hopefully mitigates the situation for the [original] neighbour, not only do we adjust the goalpost but we also improve them and improve the ground.”