Football ground's red card

Mold Alex FC want a new ground

Plans to move a north Wales amateur football club to the outskirts of a Flintshire town have caused uproar among residents.

Mold Alex FC has been renting Alyn Park, off Denbigh Road in Mold, from chemical manufacturers Synthite since the 1950s, paying a peppercorn rent of £50 per year.

However, the land could be sold off for housing, leaving the club to find a new stadium.

Flintshire County Council have earmarked the possibility of using land near Ffordd Pennant, which is also owned by Synthite.

But residents say they are horrified by the potential effect on their homes of a ground attracting spectators every weekend.

We've got people coming to us asking to sign our petition Resident John Delahoy

"We're concerned about noise, floodlighting, vandalism and there will be pedestrian access down Ffordd Pennant," said John Delahoy, who lives opposite the proposed site.

"It's a very peaceful spot at the moment," he added.

They are so concerned that they have formed a committee and have started canvassing support in the neighbourhood.

"We've got people coming to us asking to sign our petition," he added.

Synthite is working in partnership with Mold Alex FC to help it find new and improved premises in the town.

It is claimed the proposed move will help the club overcome problems including vandalism and ageing buildings which it believes are stopping it achieving its aim of getting back into the League of Wales.

The relocation is to take place because the Alyn Park ground has been included in Flintshire County Council's plan for housing.

Concerns

A housing developer is proposing to build 98 new homes ­ ranging from apartments to detached family houses - on an adjacent eight-acre site currently owned by Synthite.

Local county councillor Anthony Cattermaul said he could not understand local residents' concerns.

"If they want to preserve a green field I would have thought a football pitch would be a good way of doing that," he said.

However, it is possible that the fears will not amount to anything.

Synthite managing director Kevin Jones said the company owned the land near Ffordd Pennant and did not think it was suitable for Mold Alex FC.

"Synthite believes it would be unsuitable and will be seeking an alternative location in the town," he said.

"We would also like to stress that there are no plans for any other kind of development on this site."

But Mold Alex chairman Gary Austin said a new ground would benefit the club.

"It means we can then attract external funding and we can work towards our goal of getting back into national League of Wales.

"We have also suffered from repeated vandalism at our present ground, which is very expensive for the club to put right."