Sports clubs itching for footpath diversion that will let them expand

Two sports clubs have lamented the amount of time it has taken to sort out a footpath diversion they believe is necessary for their growth and increased youth sport offering.

Landowner Summerleaze Ltd made the application for a diversion of footpath 19, at Summerleaze Park, 18 months ago in February 2022.

Cookham Parish Council (CPC) made an ‘informal’ objection to the diversion in June this year – on the grounds that ‘this will give a less satisfactory walking experience’.

Peter Prior, owner of Summerleaze, said this has slowed down on the process, because he was told the application won’t progress to a formal consultation until this objection is addressed.

Later, Peter said he was told that the footpath officer is nonetheless looking to recommend it for approval. But he remains concerned that having CPC’s objection is more likely to make the panel refuse it and wants it withdrawn.

“Its impact upon the people who live in Cookham is absolutely minimal but for people who play sport is very strong,” he said.

“People need sports facilities. The council can’t afford to provide them and this is a way to help at a relatively low cost.”

The matter was discussed at a CPC meeting in June ‘which now precludes the council from reconsidering it again for six months,’ according to CPC.

The concern is that delays to diversion work – originally planned for this autumn, and now next spring – will mean future sports facilities won’t be ready for the 2025 season, as hoped.

Holyport Football Club’s ambition is to be able to provide an extra football pitch for its members, which would enable them to run additional youth teams.

The footpath runs diagonally across the land where the pitch had been planned. Its movement is therefore ‘necessary ‘in order to provide a full-sized pitch, said Richard Tyrell, club secretary.

He said the club is ‘disappointed’ it cannot yet offer youth players this.

“我们希望(CPC)将看到这个obje感和删除ction to support local sport, and in doing so enable the continued development of young people in the area,” he said.

The delay in the diversion order is also ‘starting to hinder’ the development of Maidenhead Softball club, said CEO & COO Alan Le Marquand.

It has been looking to build a second diamond at the park for a while.

The club works on getting eight to 12-year-olds interested in softball/baseball and girls 14+ interested in fastpitch (considered the most competitive form of softball).

The aim is to get girls on a path to trial for the GB women’s teams – now an Olympic sport for 2028.

“This has been going on so long now – [it] is frustrating to say the least,” he said.

“We missed out on a field grant from the national Baseball Softball development agency last year due to the uncertainty of the diversion, that was about £5,000.

“We will apply again this year, but with that uncertainty still in place, we are likely to miss out again.”

Chairman of CPC, Mark Howard, said that he has spoken to the footpath officers and in his understanding, a single objection will not have a strong impact on the outcome of the panel’s decision.

“I was told it’s not a big enough objection to make much difference,” he said.

Cllr Howard said it is expected this will go before the council’s Rights of Way and Highways Panel before the end of the year.

If approved, there will be a formal consultation ‘where all details will be available to the public and any objections can be made,’ said a spokesperson for the borough.

If there are no objections at the formal consultation stage, the council will confirm the public path order.

If any objections are not withdrawn but the applicant still wishes to proceed, ‘the council will decide whether the order can still be justified.’

The applicant can discuss any objections received with the objectors and see if they can come to any agreement whereby the objections are withdrawn.

If objections remain, then the matter is reported once again to the Rights of Way and Highways Licensing Panel for a decision either ‘to abandon the order or to refer the order to the Secretary of State for determination’.