Crowd fund launched to save Faraday Road football pitch

A crowd funding bid has been launched to pay for a High Court challenge to save the Faraday Road football pitch.

Newbury Community Football Group (NCFG) wants to raise £9,500 to contribute to the legal costs for local man Alan Pearce.

It has already reached £2,950 (as of 12/1/2023).

Mr Pearce is single-handedly challenging West Berkshire Council (WBC) about the legality of its plans – which the NCFG says closed a football ground unnecessarily in 2018, preventing sports being played by members of the local community across all ages.

In August 2022 the High Court agreed that there were clear and sufficient grounds for a full Judicial Review.

The case revolves around claims that WBC officers materially misled its own planning committee and “erred in law” to grant planning permission for a Sports Hub at Newbury Rugby Club as a “stand-alone proposal” – not a replacement for Faraday Road.

The full Judicial Review will be heard at the High Court in London on January 19.

Questions around the viability and purpose of the former Faraday Road football pitch site in the centre of Newbury have dominated West Berkshire Council’s executive committees.

The NCFG claim the council’s plans for a multi million pound sports hub on Monks Lane are a waste of money.

They also question the validity of the London Road Industrial Estate plans, where the Faraday Road pitch sits.

The link to the crowdfunding page can be found here – www.gofundme.com/high-court-challenge-to-west-berks-council