LEDBURY Town Council has been in talks with Ledbury Town Football Club and Ledbury Swifts over the future provision of sports facilities in the town.

As a result, and following a meeting of the town's environment and leisure committee at the end of May, the town council has made a recommendation to Herefordshire Council that a sports ground should be located to the north of Ledbury viaduct, where Bloor Homes plans to build a new estate of 625 new homes.

The estate would be in accordance with Herefordshire Council's planning blueprint for the next door decades, the Core Strategy, which also includes the provision of employment land.

However, the town council's recommendation asks Bloor "to consider substituting the approximately three hectares of proposed employment land with three hectares of land for outdoor sports provision and associated facilities".

The recommendation, submitted as part of the consultation process, adds: "Such land would be required to be prepared and levelled, and drainage installed before the freehold being transferred to a suitable local organisation, free of charge (or for a nominal fee, e.g. £1).

"The reason for this is that whilst members appreciate the need exists for both employment and sports land, the need for outdoor sports/playing fields is more urgent."

The final decision lies with Herefordshire Council, which is the planning authority.