Rugby club excited by upgrades to stadium

LEVEL PLAYING FIELD . . . the slope will disappear at Whitebank Stadium.

OLDHAM Rugby League Club has expressed delight that plans to develop Whitebank Stadium have been given the green light.

Roughyeds retain a right to train and play at Whitebank and will continue to use their office inside the Limeside ground as the club's administrative base.

As reported in Friday's Chronicle, a planning committee approved Oldham Council's proposals to transform the main grass pitch into a new all-weather 3G surface and install a steel fence and new small training pitch.

Residents had objected, saying they had been overlooked in the decision and complained about the potential impact on them.

But Oldham RLFC chairman Chris Hamilton said: "This is an exciting opportunity to upgrade facilities in an area where we know they will be well used.

"While the playing of competitive Oldham RL matches at Whitebank is still subject to the ground meeting minimum Rugby Football League standards, the work to be carried out shortly, which will include the levelling of the playing surface and the installation of a 3G artificial pitch, is a major step forward and one we are delighted to be part of.

"This will help to develop local facilities which can only be beneficial to everybody involved."

He added that fans can be assured that the Roughyeds' position regarding long-term use of Whitebank remains protected. Roughyeds are again playing home games in 2017 at Bower Fold, Stalybridge.

Work at Whitebank replaces that intended to be carried out at Higher Lime, Limehurst Village, which will no longer be used by Avro FC. Avro will be granted a lease to use Whitebank as its home ground and will move from their current home at the Lancaster Club.

Work to install the green, artificial playing surface with white-line markings for football as well as the new, natural-turf playing field on land to the north is expected to take 12 weeks. There will be parking for 22 vehicles with eight disabled spaces, with overflow parking also proposed.

Avro said Bolton-based contractors Greenfields Sports Surfaces UK Ltd would start works from late-December with completion expected in April.

Chairman Rob Fuller said: "Confirmation of planning permission is a major step forward for the club and, with a contractor of Greenfields' calibre procured, there is real certainty that this project can now move forward.

"The council are spending a considerable amount of money upgrading the facility and Avro FC and the local community will benefit massively."