Plans for a new clubhouse at Caldy Sports Club, deemed essential to its future viability, have been given the go-ahead.
It will also see the creation of new changing facilities, a community room, alterations to the car park and new storage buildings at the Paton Field site, which is home to Caldy Rugby Club, regularly attracting 1,500 spectators as well as hosting other sports events including cricket and hockey matches.
The club initially wanted a larger scheme creating two new buildings, but it was reduced in scale due to concerns over the impact on the green belt. Altering the existing century-old building was ruled out as not being viable due to its age and condition.
The club argued that planning permission was also needed for their future viability as the current building can only hold 65 people for pre-match functions – half what they say is required – and that their finances are on “a knife-edge” as a result.
They say the new match day, club and community rooms will enable them to host sponsors and spectators and provide sufficient facilities for players, supporters and officials on matchdays, and meet minimum RFU standards for changing rooms, first aid and media facilities, as well as ensuring they are not relegated for failing to meet league requirements.
A report considered by councillors on the planning committee on Thursday 5 February said the scheme had been backed by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and English Cricket Board (ECB).
The RFU said it will provide a “significant improvement to the existing facilities” and “a modern, comfortable and welcoming environment which would then positively contribute to the sustainability of the Rugby Club both on and off the field”, as well as its status in The Championship, a division it was promoted to in 2022.
It added: “In terms of the impact on openness, it is accepted that the proposed clubhouse is a significant increase in floorspace compared to the existing. However, the building has been designed so as to minimise the visual impact it has on the openness of the Green Belt.”
Planning officials said the proposed clubhouse building had been “carefully designed in terms of its overall bulk and massing, with the larger footprint being compactly contained” and its timber cladding “pays homage to the existing structure and further assists the discreet integration of the new building into its context.”
However there were objections from The National Trust, which stated that the proposal “would adversely affect the character of the local area” and does not comply with Green Belt policy.
The Caldy Society argued that the ‘community hub’ proposal was “unnecessary being essentially a commercial enterprise which is alien to the sporting use of the site and surroundings”.
The Wirral Society said that the additional income it will generate for the club is not a reason “for intruding into and destroying the openness of the Green Belt”.
The application received 516 comments of support in favour, many citing improvements in facilities, whilst there were 29 objections with concerns about traffic, noise, anti-social behaviour as well as the impact on the green belt.
At the planning committee meeting, Paul Forshaw from DLP Planning, speaking on behalf of the club, said it is “essential to support the longer term viability of the sports club”.
Local councillor Jeff Green thanked the club for making adjustments to the scheme since it was first submitted in 2021 and said it is now “much more acceptable to the community”.
Funding will come from donations, including from what the club say are “a number of high net worth members”.
Image credits: Planning documents
