FURIOUS residents demanded answers from members of a council and football club amid fears over development plans in a community playing field.

Richmondshire District Councillor Russell Lord opened up his regular ward surgery at Richmond School on Wednesday night to allow residents of the towns’ Whitefield estate to hear from committee members of Richmond Town Football Club.

Rumours had been circulating that the club intended to build on the land after it took over the lease from the council, which had offered up several parks and fields for disposal in 2012, last November.

Richard Laviolette, James Conway and Jon Rutherford from Richmond Town Football Club attended the meeting, along with the council’s open spaces and amenities manager Gary Hudson.

Mr Conway explained that the club approached the council when it learned it was transferring land in Richmond in order to continue to meet demand for its 16 junior teams.

He said: “At the moment our only plans are to hopefully flatten an area in order to create two pitches for our junior teams, between Maison Dieu and the single goal post at the bottom end of the field.

“The young players will continue to use changing facilities at Richmond School and walk over one field in order to get to the new pitches, and parents are directed to the school’s car park.”

However residents said they were shocked that they had not been told about the transfer of the Whitefields field and play park and said they felt let down over being kept in the dark.

Main concerns from the residents included the potential for increased traffic through the estate, a large area of the field being fenced off, the loss of the play park, and that the club would not keep residents up-to-date with its plans.

One man said: “I have sent six letters to the council asking what is going on and only got one response to say it had been let to the club.

“It’s incredible that a 25 year lease has been signed and we don’t know what will happen to it.”

Mr Hudson said the council’s consultation had taken place in 2012, which had gone through Richmond Town Council, but had not included residents of the estate.

Cllr Lord said with hindsight he should have informed all residents.

Mr Laviolette told the crowd he could not make any promises about the ultimate plans for the land – but assured the meeting he would take back all the residents’ concerns to the club’s committee and take their views into account.

He pledged to deliver leaflets to residents of Whitefields and surrounding estates ahead of any further meetings or proposals.

He said: “We have come here to consult with you – we won’t just go through with a development without consulting with you.”