Emmbrook residents worried that plans to install floodlights at a football ground would cause light pollution were given assurances at a meeting held last week.
The Emmbrook Sports and Social Club organised the event at its Lowther Road site on Tuesday, February 2, to allow neighbours to talk about its plans to develop its facilities so it can met the Football Association’s requirements for a Step 5 football club.
More than 50 people came along to hear more about the plans which include new floodlights, hardstanding from the clubhouse to the pitch, a new stand that would hold 100 people standing and 100 people seated, a parking area adjacent to Lowther Road and a handrail around three sides of the football pitch.
A request for opaque fencing around the site has been removed from the application and the original fence and boundary will remain.
Residents were concerned that floodlights would be taller than the ones they will replace and be switched on for longer, causing light pollution in the surrounding dwellings.
However, social club trustee and president of Wokingham and Emmbrook football club, Mark Ashwell told the meeting: “There will be a curtain of light around the ground with no light leakage. Currently there is some light leakage into some of the houses on Old Forrest Road. Modern floodlights will solve this problem.
“Hours of floodlight usage will include one midweek game a week but not every week and will work out at 15 games a season. Lights will be on between 7pm and 9.45pm and also at weekends.”
Traffic and parking on Lowther Road was also raised as a concern. One resident said: “Current parking is a nightmare along Lowther Road. There is pandemonium on a weekend.”
Another said: “The attendance figures should take into consideration the minor town that is being built on Matthewsgreen Road. The population from this area will make car parking insufficient.”
Mr Ashwell assured them: “Parking for first team football is manageable at the moment. The main problem comes from kids’ football. There are no plans to expand the club, once we are full we cannot take any more members. The situation will not get worse and the planned car park will improve things.”
In the plans, Grascrete would be laid to allow 72 cars to park on a firm surface.
Mr Ashwell admitted at the meeting: “Wokingham and Emmbrook FC [the Sumas] are currently playing at Step 5 in the Football League and are currently bottom of the league so will be playing in Step 6 next season.”
The Sumas first team are ground sharing with Henley Town but this has cost the team with rent and losing players who do not wish to play in Oxfordshire.
The club said the Lowther Road site development will ensure all Wokingham and Emmbrook teams will play in the borough and allow the development of an under 18s team.
“The sports club’s ambition is to stay at Step 5 and play in Wokingham, play
in our home town,” said Mr Ashwell. “This is the maximum of our ambitions, this is our zenith.”
