Wait is nearly over for stadium

7:56am Friday 14th November 2008

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ONE of the country’s most famous amateur football clubs looks likely to have its own home ground again after six years “on the road”.

Bishop Auckland FC has endured many setbacks in its 15- year quest for a new stadium.

It has been playing home games in Shildon, Spennymoor and West Auckland since selling its famous Kingsway pitch to developers in 2002.

Now the ten times FA Amateur Cup winners could soon be back on home turf because their long-awaited new stadium, in Tindale Crescent, could be given planning permission next week.

Planning officers at Wear Valley District Council are advising members to approve a £45m shopping and leisure park proposed by developers Terrace Hill, which includes the ground, a six-screen cinema and a Sainsbury’s store, creating 350 jobs.

The Bishops’ chairman, Terry Jackson, will make a personal plea to the authority’s development control committee when it meets on Thursday.

He said yesterday that everybody at the club was excited about the new ground, which is being built with a £250,000 grant from the Football Foundation.

Officials and supporters feared an eleventh-hour hitch when a rival supermarket scheme from water cooling company Ebac emerged two weeks ago.

The company, which claims to have interest from Tesco, submitted an outline proposal on Tuesday to knock down their 50-year-old factory and build a supermarket, transferring jobs to a site nearby.

Ebac boss John Elliott said yesterday he would wait for the committee’s decision, but expected to press on with his own scheme.

He said: “If we don’t change our manufacturing facilities, it will put jobs at risk. We need to secure our future in Bishop Auckland.”

Ebac, Morrisons and an unnamed Bishop Auckland resident are the only three objectors to Terrace Hill’s plans.

But senior planning officer Chris Baxter will tell councillors that Terrace Hill’s development is needed, it will not take trade from businesses in Bishop Auckland town centre, and will regenerate a derelict site without depriving local residents of an amenity.

Last night, the council’s planning chief David Townsend confirmed that Terrace Hill’s scheme would be debated, despite a request from Ebac’s agents, Ward Haddaway, for a decision to be deferred.

He said: “We have taken legal advice and our recommendation is that a decision should be made on Terrace Hill’s application.”

Thursday’s meeting is at 6pm in Crook Civic Centre.