AS Alton Town Council prepares to make a decision on the £5.25 million offer by Coors to relocate sporting facilities from its site in Anstey Road to town council-owned land, the campaign to "Save Diggers" from the developers continues to gather pace. In a decisive move, members of Anstey Park Casual Users Group (APCUG) have delivered a comprehensive and closely-argued dossier to town councillors highlighting a raft of potential financial and social pitfalls to the plans. And they are planning a "Dine at Diggers" picnic this Sunday at 4 pm to further publicise their campaign. The plan put forward by Coors for the town to consider is for Alton Social Bowls Club to move to a new site in Chawton Park Road and Alton Town Football Club to be located on the "Diggers" dogleg at Anstey Park. The potential loss of ATC-owned land to relocate the two sports facilities would be compensated for by provision of an artificial turf pitch (ATP), also sited at "Diggers". ATC is pushing also for additional funding to be made available to improve Alton Tennis Club facilities. In return, Coors is wanting to obtain planning permission so that it can sell off its Anstey Road sports ground for housing development. But while the sports clubs themselves appear happy with the offer, members of the public remain to be convinced. Despite showing little opposition to the Chawton Park Road site there is a growing groundswell of concern over the loss of public open space at Anstey Park with objectors urging the council to look harder for alternative sites. According to APCUG spokesman Penney Hames, the council has already been offered two other sites by local landowners, one of which is thought to be in Wolf's Lane, Chawton. Speaking on behalf of the Alton Society, Geoff Nicholas confirmed that he had asked the council to release details of any alternative sites prior to its decision-making meeting on August 30 so that all those attending can be fully informed. Alton Town Council has since confirmed that details will be made available for inclusion in next week's Alton Herald. More than 400 letters, e-mails and response forms have been received by the council following two public meetings and an article in The Altonian magazine, the contents of which are now being collated and analysed as part of the decision-making process. "A number of alternative locations and scenarios have been raised as part of the consultation process by councillors, officers and other people, and we are now looking at what would be viable and what would provide the best solution for Alton. At this point no decision has been taken and nor will it be until the 30th," said town clerk Steve Parkinson. Backing the casual users' campaign for the retention of Diggers as public open space, Manor Estate Residents Group (MERG) are reported by Ms Hames to have sent Alton Town Council the results of a survey of Manor residents - the people who they claim will be most affected by noise and light from the potential development. Ninety-six percent of all residents who were contacted are said to have opposed the plans. In a joint move, APCUG and MERG have twice leafleted local residents. Firstly to inform them of their right to have a say before the consultation deadline on July 31 and more recently to publicise the forthcoming "Dine for Diggers" event at Anstey Park to which all campaign supporters are invited. "Although licensing laws restrict organised games, residents may like to take their own balls, frisbees, and kites and make it a day to remember," said Penney Hames, who points out that the event will go ahead "come rain or shine". l Alton Town Council is set to make its final decision about the Coors sports facility relocation proposal at a meeting on Wednesday, August 30, starting at 6-15 pm at Alton Assembly Rooms. All welcome.
