Football club granted lease on public pitches
Steve MorganA football club is to be allowed to take over public pitches for the next 30 years.
Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council approved plans to lease two pitches on King George V playing fields to Guisborough Town FC.
Resident Steve Morgan criticised the move claiming it would mean members of the public would have less access to green space.
The football club said there would still be "ample land available for public use", while the council said granting the lease did not affect its freehold ownership of the site.
The two pitches are close to the football stadium, a tennis club, bowls club and leisure centre.
The non-league football side said the pitches were in a poor state and "not fit for purpose".
But Mr Morgan said the area was regularly used by dog walkers and locals, adding: "It's not the club's land to take."
'Available for hire'
The football club said the lease agreement would allow it to maintain the pitches at its own expense and upgrade the playing surface.
It also said the improvements it would make would "directly benefit grassroots football" by making the pitches accessible to its juniors and other teams.
"In addition to being used by the 32 teams within the club, other affiliated teams will also have the opportunity to hire the pitches for their matches which will enable GTFC to further support the wider community."
The club will not pay rent for the first six months, then £2,500 per year for the first three years and after that £5,000 a year.
It also said the lease would allow the club to have all its teams based on one site.