Opposition to new Thame football stadium fails to win the day

A NEW football facility for Thame came a step nearer last night, when Thame Town Council’s planning committee unanimously voted for amendments to plans already approved by them. The decision came despite representations from residents in the vacinity of the proposed new development, and members of the Lea Park Residents Association, who feared increased noise levels, parking problems in residential streets, vandalism, litter and light pollution from flood lighting.

The committee were discussing amendments to the original plan, amendments which removed a planned Marquee and relocated the East stand and turnstiles.

Tim Green, Chairman of the Thame Football Partnership, told the opposition: “We have been working alongside local councils for two and a half years. We believe that this proposal makes best use of the area and that we have taken into consideration all your concerns. We believe it is in the best area and will keep a very strict eye on noise levels etc. All of our children do need somewhere to play their recreation and this is the best location available to us.”

Cllr David Laver summed up the feelings of most councillors when he said: “We are sympathetic with some of the concerns and there is little doubt that there will be a slight increase in traffic. We were not happy that there was enough car parking in the original plans but we have been assured that there will not be many late-night functions – the removal of the planned marquee will help there.
“There will inevitably be some noise on match days, as there was in Windmill Road but with modern flood lighting, as has been installed at the rugby club, that should not be such a problem. The Partnership has gone some way to address some of our concerns and we should support this application.”