Consett Football Club to move to new ground

Consett AFC can look forward to a new home in Delves Lane after members of Durham County Council's planning committee gave their approval yesterday.

The decision will free up their former Belle Vue ground for redevelopment as part of the £28m Consett Academy.

The academy, which is replacing Moorside Community Technology College and Consett Community Sports College, will have premises built on the Belle Vue site with a view to opening in spring, 2014.

Work can now begin on Consett FC's new ground at Crookhall playing field, next to the Tesco store in Delves Lane.

The land is home to several football pitches and a changing room, while the Coast to Coast cycle route lies along its western border.

The club will replace one of the football pitches with its ground, complete with clubhouse, floodlighting, changing rooms and car parks, with part of the changing rooms being made available for the community to use.

One neighbour complained about noise and light pollution, while Sustrans, a charity that promotes the Coast to Coast route, raised concerns about extra traffic using the site affecting cyclists and pedestrians.

Planning officer Chris Baxter said 14 other sites had been looked at in the town, but that Crookhall was the best.

He said: "This will provide a facility for Consett AFC, while also improving the existing sports and recreational facilities for the public to use."

Consett AFC started in 1899 and originally played on land given to them by the town's Iron Works called Vicarage Field, but they had to vacate the site in 1948 as the works needed the land for expansion.

Volunteers then built a stadium, Belle Vue Park, using cinders from mine workings to form banking around the pitch.

Two small stands were also built at either side of the ground from concrete, brick and timber.

In August, 1950, they played their first game at Belle Vue Park against Sunderland Reserves, which was watched by 7,000 fans - still the club's highest recorded attendance.