Ludlow Town Council objects to rugby club’s plans

Ludlow Rugby Football Club’s (LRFC) plan to expand its car park has received an objection from the town council.

The proposal is to change the use of a section of land it owns from residential gardens to community recreational use. This, if approved, will extend the existing car parking area to around 30 extra spaces.

Access will be via a private access drive directly off The Linney. This, the club says, has been in use for many years without issue for either motor vehicles or team coaches, the latter using the existing car park for, at most, 12 to 14 times a season.

It added that, on occasion,  away team coaches allow the players to alight at a convenient point and they walk the final distance to the club. On match days, the majority of cars have left the main site and car park by 10pm.

However, the site is at risk of flooding from the river Teme and Corve.

“Flooding happens several times a year when the area becomes inaccessible,” said a LRFC spokesperson.

“Fortunately, the open area of the site and the well draining geological base allows all flood water to infiltrate naturally within a few days.

Ludlow Town Council’s representative committee discussed the scheme at its meeting on Tuesday (April 8) evening.

Councillor Glenn Ginger said: “When you’ve got such a comprehensive flood plan, they talk about about one chance in every 100 years [of it flooding]. To my memory, it floods every year.”

Councillor Stuart Waite added: “It’s expanding over a large site and the egress is absolutely appalling and is just not suitable for having large volumes of traffic.”

Members decided to object on the grounds that it would introduce a greater volume of traffic down a narrow entrance road, and it would not only be used for rugby matches.

“If the castle is having more and more concerts etc, I think it’s a commercial decision,” said Cllr Ginger.