Call for meeting over Latics stadium plans

AN emergency meeting for Failsworth residents to discuss plans for Oldham Athletic’s new stadium is to be arranged.

More than 50 residents attending last night’s Failsworth PACT meeting discussed the proposals as part of an emergency item on the agenda.

The football club wants to build a £20 million, 12,000-seater stadium with community sports facilities on a 30-acre site off Broadway.

The council has agreed to transfer allotment land and Lower Memorial Park for the club to build on, while Athletic has a deal in place to buy the neighbouring Lancaster Sports Club.

Failsworth councillors and Failsworth MP David Heyes had invited the club to send a senior representative to the PACT meeting.

However, a letter from club chief executive Alan Hardy said no one was available to attend as club directors would be taking part in a question and answer forum, which charged £2 entry per person, at the Radclyffe School at the same time.

Speaking at the PACT meeting, Pete Batty, from Broadway, said: “I refused to go there because it is out of the area and it is an insult to ask people to pay money to air their views.

“The meeting is for fans, not people like us. It is not an appropriate way for a business to deal with the public.

“When are the people of Failsworth going to have an emergency meeting?”

Another Failsworth resident said he was against the new stadium because it would create traffic and litter problems, and bring disruption to the area.

He said: “House prices will go down, I can’t see any benefit from them coming here.”

Failsworth East councillor Jim McMahon said: “Latics are treating the people of Failsworth with contempt. We need a separate meeting on how the plan will affect the area.

“We’ve asked for plans but have not been given them as to how big the stadium will be.

“There have been conflicting reports. Until someone comes to us with plans we can’t do anything. The conclusion I can reach is Latics aren’t interested in us.”

Councillor McMahon said research had uncovered that a government grant of £8,000 had been used to lay out the memorial park, which he felt would protect the land against being sold off.

He said: “I would challenge Oldham Council’s ability to sell the land from under Failsworth’s feet.”

John Crompton, chairman of Failsworth Historical Society, said Failsworth residents had contributed towards Lower Memorial Park to commemorate the 248 known Failsworth men who died in the First World War.

He said: “To think that a 12,000-seat stadium could be on the park is ludicrous. We all know that this particular situation is nothing more than a commercial venture by Oldham Athletic and should be something we fight against.”

Failsworth East councillor Paul Martin said: “It has been handled very badly, and economically it doesn’t stand up. It is a dog’s dinner.”

Councillor McMahon proposed to arrange a residents’ meeting in about three weeks time at Failsworth School and invite representatives from Oldham Athletic and the council to answer questions.

He said: “I can’t see how anyone can come to a view about this plan without more details.”