Junior football club given extra time to work with Sheffield Council after it extended its car park without permission

Ecclesfield Red Rose JFC started to extend its existing car park at the playing fields on Nether Lane but halted the work when officers said it needed planning permission.

Officers wanted to take enforcement action because they are concerned about drainage, the materials used and there were complaints from residents on Whitley View who said cars were now parked right up against their gardens and drivers could look directly into their living rooms.

More than 940 people signed a petition in support of the extension, saying it was to stop young children from having to cross the busy road and it meant 80 per cent of cars could safely park within the grounds.

The club invested £11,000 in it and said if it had to reinstate the car park, it would cost so much it would be forced to close meaning 17 teams and more than 200 children would be unable to play football.

Councillors were keen to find a compromise and deferred making a decision until July so the club can provide more information on drainage and materials and officers can look more closely at how to protect residents' gardens.

Coun Peter Price said: This is an amature club which rents the land. They asked permission to extend the corner of the car park and the landowner said you don’t need planning permission so they went ahead.

“They are trying to solve a problem created by the number of people parking on a busy road where young children are coming out. They don’t have the money to provide evidence or bring experts in.”

Planning chairman Coun Jayne Dunn said: “Everybody wants to make sure the club can continue but we need to make sure the drainage and materials used are correct. We have a duty of care and shouldn’t shy away from that so we want this to come back by July.”