Meeting clarifies use of football pitch » Communities » 24dash.com

A MEETING has been held to clarify issues surrounding the use of the Earls Orchard sports field near Richmond.

Members and officers from Richmondshire District Council met with Richmond Town Football Club and Richmondshire Landscape Trust to discuss the clubs lease, the route of the popular Coast to Coast walk, and the use of the field.

Richmondshire District Council owns the field, but leases it to Richmond Town Football Club for their exclusive use. Due to league requirements, the pitch must be surrounded by a spectator barrier. Concerns had been raised about the barrier, but it was clarified that this had been installed with the proper permissions and meets all health and safety requirements.

The meeting also discussed measures to make sure the public were kept better informed about the use of the pitch, including a proposal for improved signage in the area. This would clearly identify the exact route of the Coast to Coast walk, which is outside the leased area, and it is also proposed to erect a post and rail fence in order to delineate this.

Councillor Paul Cullen, who chaired the meeting, said: Discussions were harmonious, and I hope we were able to clarify the issues surrounding Earls Orchard to the satisfaction of all concerned.