Town council asked to reject plan to make Whitby 3G pitch a community asset

A proposal for Whitby’s 3G pitch to be registered as an asset of community value (ACV) could be rejected when the plan returns to the town council on Tuesday (Feb 13).

Last month the authority was asked to approve an application to register a synthetic 3G outdoor pitch as a community asset but plans were postponed by an objection from Whitby Town FC.

Approval of the application by North Yorkshire Council would mean that owners wishing to sell the 3G pitch would have to wait six months for locals to put together a bid to purchase it on the open market.

However, despite positive feedback from councillors at the previous meeting on January 9, members have now been recommended to reject the application.

Managing director of Whitby Town FC, Graeme Hinchliffe, said the club objected because the plan was submitted “without giving others in our community the chance to understand what it really means and what impacts would be made should this community asset be developed”.

Following a “consultation with other interested local groups” it was “established that there is no declared threat to the facility,” according to a council report.

The report adds that “North Yorkshire Council as the landowner is committed to the Community Use Agreement governing the 3G pitch as a condition of the funding secured from the Football Foundation”.

An original application by Enterprise International (ESI) to register the pitch as a community asset was reportedly rejected by North Yorkshire Council because of international clauses in the organisation’s constitution.

If councillors approve the application, it will be submitted to the unitary authority by Whitby Town Council.

A report prepared for the meeting states that councillors will “further consider a request for the town council to sponsor an application to North Yorkshire Council to register the 3G pitch at Eskdale School and surrounding area as an Asset of Community Value”.

The extraordinary meeting of the town council will be held on Tuesday, February 13, from around 6.30pm onwards.

The meeting is open to members of the public and residents may speak or ask questions.