AMENDED plans to upgrade the long-established football field behind Fairfield Park in Haltwhistle have run into opposition.

A series of objections have been lodged to the latest bid by the Haltwhistle Swimming and Leisure group to return the site to its former primary use as one of the town’s main football leisure facilities.

The application seeks to re-engineer and upgrade the existing pitch by levelling and installing improved drainage

There will also be a new passing place on Willia Road.

Planning permission was granted by Northumberland County Council in December 2009 for a football development scheme on the site, but opponents of the scheme successfully applied to have the site registered as a village green, effectively halting the football development.

In a supporting statement, agents acting on behalf of the leisure group said since the construction of the Haltwhistle bypass and the safety it brings to Haltwhistle’s roads, the town had provided a more appealing location for families and children in the area.

This meant the demand for playing fields and general outdoor activity had increased.

The passing place on Willia Road was being sought to allow traffic to pass safely and to assist in keeping congestion to a minimum.

One of the objectors, Barrie Irving, said in his letter to the county council’s planning department: “This area of land does not need any work or upgrading. The gentle slope gives adequate drainage for its present use, as a large open space for children and adults to use, as well as Slater’s fun fair

“Would the fair be stopped if the proposed upgrades went ahead?”

Mr Irving noted that there was no pavement for people to walk along the single track Willia Road, which would not be able to take the increased traffic generated by football use.

He said: “The car park is full and overflowing on to the road on Sundays as it is, blocking the entrance to the burn.

“Apart from the safety issues, there is the quiet enjoyment of the residents to consider living along Willia Road. Any work and proposed use of football would restrict the people’s present usage, as well as causing noise and nuisance to the residents living in the area of the land.

“We feel that this is a sneaky back door way in to moving the football from the two football pitches beside the Tyne into a residential area, starting small and then increasing the usage beyond what was allocated in the past.”

Another objector, Ruth Seager, wrote: “Whilst one supports the need for good sport facilities, I am puzzled as to the need for a passing place on a road that goes nowhere to accommodate a once fortnightly, or even once weekly, football match, where hitherto, there has been no issue.”

She also expressed concern over the likelihood of more weekend matches creating greater disturbance for residents, some of whom lived as close as 20 metres from the pitch.