A FOOTBALL club has welcomed a council decision to U-turn on plans to build on the land it uses as a training ground.

It was feared up to 60 homes could be built on Braintree Town Football Club’s training pitch, in Cressing Road, from 2022 as part of Braintree Council’s local plan.

The development would have restricted access to the away end of the stadium and would mean car parking at the ground would have disappeared.

Last July, Braintree Town’s chairman, Lee Harding, told the Times that if the plans went through and the club didn’t have a new home it could be forced to close.

But papers due to go before the council on Monday show there are now no plans to build on the land.

Instead the council is hoping to relocate the neighbouring Braintree Lawn Tennis Club and buy land from Millennium Vets to get access to the site.

Mr Harding welcomed the plans but said the board will continue to work with the council to find a home.

He said: “We can see what the council want to do here and the proposals look sensible to us and we welcome the new plans.

“But we’ll continue to work with the council on trying to find somewhere to build a new ground as we have been doing for several years.

“It’s a long process, but in order to move the club forward we need to find somewhere else.”

A Braintree Council spokesman said: “Braintree Town Football Club is in a secure 15-year lease that expires in 2030 and there are no plans to redevelop the land currently used for training pitches.

“We have been in discussion with the club for a number of years, to explore suitable relocation options.

“These discussions have failed to identify an appropriate, viable alternative site.”