A PROPOSED new football academy off Little Marcle Road is intended to guarantee the future of the game in Ledbury for the next 50 years, say local clubs.

The new multi-pitch site would be a new home for both Ledbury Town Football Club and Ledbury Swifts, and grant funding will be looked for from various funding bodies.

John Preedy, chairman of Ledbury Town Football Club said: "What the centre will do is to enable football to continue in Ledbury for the next 50 years."

There is uncertainly hanging over the future of the football ground where Ledbury Town Football Club play, off New Street, which is not owned by the club and the highly successful Swifts have 17 youth sides but only three pitches to play on at present.

Mr Preedy said: "We need a proper solution - a piece of ground to suit everyone."

But Ledbury residents say access off a narrow country lane would be "an accident wanting to happen" and have already raised concerns.

Ledbury town council has unanimously voted to approve a change of use for agricultural land, off Little Marcle Road, but councillors want access to the site looked at again, and this is happening.

The change of use application is for seven pitches, some of them floodlit; a pavilion with changing rooms and toilets.

A cricket pavilion is also shown, but Swifts chairman, Nick Fish, says this was put there in by error, and there are no current plans for a cricket pavilion.

Mr Fish said: "It would be a community facility for football, run by a trust, and will allow kids of five to play there, all the way up to people in their sixties and seventies, playing walking football."

There are currently 94 car parking places proposed, with six disabled spaces, three coach parking spaces and a coach drop off area.

But a more detailed plan is yet to be submitted.

The change of use submission does show access off the Little Marcle Road, "located a safe distance from a bend in the road", and this has raised concerns among local residents.

In a statement to the planning authority, Herefordshire Council, which is set to make its decision by Monday, August 29, Amanda Smith of Little Marcle Road said: "The proposal is to include an entrance to the centre for coaches and cars which would be almost opposite to the entrance to Redbank Farm, and therefore the coaches and lorries will be turning in the same section of road.

"The addition of coaches, cars and children, walking along the stretch of road, would be very dangerous."

Local resident Claire de Giles said: "It's very worrying. Other places must be more suitable for a sports centre than up a narrow country lane."

And residents Clarissa and Nicholas Casdagli, in their statement to Herefordshire Council said: "This is a de-restricted rural lane where the speed limit is 60mph.

"Many seasonal workers use this lane on foot, and there is every opportunity for an accident just waiting to happen."

However, Cllr Bob Barnes, chairman of the town's economic development and planning committee pointed out that the application, at present, was for change of use only and the details of the layout could change.

He said: "Town councillors had concerns about access but there are negotiations ongoing between the applicant and the adjacent Heineken plant, for another access."

Mr Fish has confirmed that this is the case.

Cllr Barnes said: "Without proper access, the change of use could not come forward."