SSDC v YTFC: Jumpers for goalposts and all that!

COUNCILLORS who represent the area which surrounds Yeovil Town’s stadium felt proposals to develop part of the club’s Huish Park ground should have been kicked into touch.

Cllrs Peter Seib and John Richardson both found themselves on the losing side when it came to yesterday’s (Wednesday, April 2, 2014) vote where South Somerset District Council’s Area South committee decided to give the Glovers two-months in which to get their development plans in order.

The two Brympton ward representatives both agreed with planning officer Simon Fox that the application to see a food retail store built on the top part of Huish Park should have been refused.

Cllr Seib said: “Most of the people we represent aren’t in the ground on a Saturday – more important to them is the vitality of the town centre.

“Yeovil Town FC has brought attention to Yeovil, but it is not the only reason.”

PHOTO - RIGHT Cllr Peter Seib.

Cllr Seib was also unhappy about losing public open space – although it should be pointed out that the area of land earmarked for development is virtually unused by the public.

Cllr Seib, speaking directly to the Yeovil Town representatives at the meeting, said: “You might play in the big league, but a lot play in the park with piles of coats.”

He said that in recent weeks he had been stopped on “two dozen occasions” by people in the Brympton area unanimous in opposition to the plans.

Cllr Seib said that the club was "going against its own supporters."

His Brympton colleague, Cllr John Richardson, added: “We are delighted with the success of Yeovil Town, but I can’t find a good enough case to support this application.”

The committee decided to defer the application for two months to allow the club and developers to get more detailed information together – following on from news that there was now an improved £2.1m offer to the council to provide new public open space and that Asda might be interested in relocating its Yeovil store to HuishPark.

Cllr Liz Glaisher, chairman of Brympton Parish Council, told councillors: “Seems like a totally different application from the one the parish council discussed last week.”

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Yeovil Town FC.