Agenda item

A report, updating, the Committee, on proposals regarding Saddleworth Paying Fields.

The Charitable Trust Committee (CTC) considered a report of the Assistant Director (Corporate Estates) which remined members that the CTC had previously taken receipt of a request from Saddleworth Football Club seeking to bring a disused football pitch back in to use, which was located on Charity Trust land.

On behalf of the CTC, Officers of the Council had investigated the request and were seeking to endorse the request from the Saddleworth Football Club for a 30-years lease (a term which would allow the Club to apply and draw down Football Association funding to invest in the facilities).

The CTC was advised that the land in question was to be used as an open space or park for the free use and benefit of the inhabitants of the former county borough of Oldham and district.

The report added that Bishop’s Park was a large area of naturalised land which was a charitable asset and which was freely available for the public to use.  The extent of the charitable land was highlighted on a plan/map that was appended to the submitted report.

Historically there were two football pitches on the land which was intended to be utilised by local clubs under the Council’s pitch booking system. Saddleworth Football Club, a charity and mixed, multi-age football club, have requested to bring the dis-used pitch at Bishops Park (which was highlighted on the plan/map appended to the submitted report), back into use and to enter into a 30-year lease to enable the club to access Football Association funding.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the pitch fell into dis-use and had not been maintained or played on, since that time. Saddleworth Football Club were a local team who were looking for a home base and wished to bring the pitch back into regular use, for both them and for the ability to hire out the pitch to other local clubs.

The land has been allowed to become naturalised and was not maintained by the Council. The land is part of the public open space land which formed the wider open moorland at Bishop’s Park.

Saddleworth Football club were an important community asset and supported a number of teams with aspirations to expand in the future. 

The Club would only be given rights to invest in and utilise the pitch area, and that the lease arrangement will not enable any permissions for the erection of any buildings or storage facilities on the land.  A ‘waist high’ rail was included in the plans around the edge of the pitch to de-mark the perimeter of the pitch. Officers of the Council agreed with this requirement, subject to CTC approval. However, Officers also recommended that no other fencing will be erected, and that the pitch must remain open to the general public, when there was no match being played.

Resolved:

1.    That the Charitable Trust Committee notes the report insofar that it represents due diligence on the proposals submitted by Saddleworth Football Club, and are recommended to:

2.    That the Charitable Trust Committee approves the proposed lease of the football pitch to Saddleworth Football Club for a term of 30 years.

3.    That the Charitable Trust Committee approves the lease being used as part of a funding bid application to secure investment into the facilities to bring the pitch back into use and playable standards for use by themselves and other community football clubs.

4.    That the Charitable Trust Committee notes the works that is to be undertaken by Saddleworth Football Club to bring the pitches back into use, specifically in relation to the ‘waist high rail’, referenced in the submitted report.

5.     That the Charitable Trust Committee endorses Officer views that, in supporting the proposals by the Club, no buildings or storage facilities are permitted on the land, no fencing is permitted and full community access should be always maintained, as set out in the submitted report.