IT is still hoped that land allocated for sports pitches at Longforth Farm on the outskirts of Wellington can be developed into a useful facility for local sports teams.

The town council and Somerset West and Taunton Council (SWT) are seeking a meeting with Bloor, the developer at Longforth, to see if the ‘service road’ that has recently appeared on a land allocation map the developer has produced, can be re-routed.

The current proposal splits the sports field and means that a road would run across the site.

SWT councillor for Wellington North Andrew Govier said: “I was really shocked when I saw the plans from Bloor. There has never been any mention of this ‘service road’ and I can’t see what purpose it will serve. I have looked at the plans in detail and I think that, if there is a need for this road, it needs to be relocated to the north of the site to maximise the amount of playing area that is in one plot.

“I want to understand why the developers have, at the last moment, put forward plans that would have a severe impact on what we thought we were getting.”

Cllr Govier has spoken to officers at Wellington town and SWT councils and they are all working together to reach a solution. He added: “I have spoken to someone from the football club and suggested they look at what land they would need for their proposal and that they produce a plan that we can discuss with the developers when we meet them.”

The WWN revealed last month that Wellington Football Club’s bid to move its senior team’s pitch to the new Longforth Farm estate could get the ‘red card’.

Concern had been expressed that new plans drawn up by developers Bloor for the Longforth Farm playing pitches will prevent the relocation of Wellington FC and could damage the viability of any sports facility in the area.

A new ‘land split’ plan has been forwarded to SWT which shows the sports pitch site divided into two, with a service road running through it to land that has been retained for other uses.