Sports club’s plans come to fruition


WEST Farleigh Sports Club is nudging nearer to its goal of winning new changing room facilities at its Charlton Lane ground. As the Downs Mail went to press, the club


waswaiting to hear if it had obtained a sub- stantial grant from the Football Foundation, which would allow work to get underway later this month. The club has fought hard to win grant support for the project and has been awarded cash from Sport England, KCC and the Kent County Playing FieldsAssociation. The sports club iswell on theway to rais-


ing its target contribution of £18,000 to- wards the long-awaited facilities, with a past player and local businessman also making a donation. “We wanted to obtain funding for the en-


tire project, rather than take out loans, leav- ing a financial burden for future generations,” said club secretary Ian Payne.


AGYPSY who applied for per- mission to remain at a site in Chart Sutton died on the day of the deciding planning com- mittee hearing. John Smith Snr wanted ret- rospective consent to station three mobile homes, two tour- ing caravans and two timber sheds on land west of Horse- shoes Paddock, Lucks Lane, Chart Sutton. But he passed away on the


day the application was to be determined.According to plan- ning documents, he was fight-


Gypsy dies on day of committee hearing Happy WFSC members Paul and Terry


ing lung cancer, previously suf- fered heart problems and post- traumatic stress


after


witnessing the murder of his son in Australia. Despite Maidstone Council offering to defer the applica- tion, family member Liza Smith insisted she was happy to speak in support of the scheme. She said: “The Smith family used to travel around England beforemoving to Aus- tralia, but when Mr Smith’s son was brutally murdered, decided to return to the UK.”


Baines outside the present changing rooms The club, which celebrated its centenary


in 2011, has used a large wooden cabin for changing since 1995. An earlier wooden shed blew down in the hurricane of 1987 and a later concrete garage erected in its place in 1993 proved to be too hot. “Although a recent Kent County Football


Association inspection described the West Farleigh pitch as ‘fantastic’ and to Kent League standard, they found the changing rooms to be hilarious,” said Ian. The detailed planning application pre-


pared by player Mark Chaplin was ap- proved by Maidstone Council in December 2010 and approval of building regulations drawings by Bearsted consultant Chris Buckingham is thought to be imminent. The new clubhouse, which will stand on


the site of the existing buildings, will have two sets of changing rooms – for home and away teams, with toilet and shower facili- ties. Unlike the present facility, they will be well insulated and heated. It will also have a kitchen and store and communal space, which could be used for small meetings of community groups in the village. There will be an outdoor patio area to complement social events or village func-


The family initially moved to


a plot in the Tunbridge Wells area, but were evicted after five years as the land was pro- tected through being on the HighWeald AONB. Ms Smith added: “The fam-


ily had 48 hours to move and bought the land at Chart Sut- ton. The family have been through hell and are very deeply distressed, They just want some peace and quiet.” The planning committee agreed to grant planning per- mission.


tions at the ground. Plastic piping will be used throughout to avoid interest from the kind of copper thieves who recently struck at nearby Yalding. Current player Matt Smith has


been the driving force behind fundraising, including a black tie dinner and auction of prom- ises at Leeds Castle to celebrate the club’s centenary. LocalMPHelen Grant has also


been supportive. Even if the Football Founda-


tion grant is obtained, the club will continue its fundraising ac- tivities, including a “buy-a- brick” scheme.


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To contact Downs Mail just phone 01622 630330 South 3


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