A PLANNING application to build two spectator stands at a ground used by a football club will be heard by Powys councillors on Thursday, April 11.

Llanrhaeadr Recreation Association has applied to have two stands for 100  spectators each, to be built at the Recreation Ground in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

The football club plays in the Cymru Alliance League after winning the Mid-Wales League last season, but they have been forced to ground-share with Llansantffraid ten miles to the east due to the more stringent ground regulations in the Cymru Alliance.

The application appears before the committee as Powys County Council owns the ground.

PCC’s Highways Department was against the application.

In a letter on February 18, Highways did say that this area of the village “suffers from a shortage off-street parking”.

However, by March 27 it had withdrawn its objection.

Two other objections have been raised by nearby residents who believe the stands could become an area for teenagers to meet and cause mischief.

Planning officer, Kate Bowen, says in her report: “The Recreation Ground, already has a 53 person capacity stand and given the requirement by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for teams in the second tier of the football system to have a seated capacity of 250 persons.

“The proposed stands would have a capacity of 100 persons each with the seats being tiered.

“In addition, the benefits of the provision of additional capacity to encourage further use of an existing recreational facility are acknowledged.

“The proposed stands would be functional in design and given their siting at the edge of the football field together with their scale, height and materials, it is considered that the proposed development would complement the location in the Recreation Ground.”

She added: “In terms of privacy, the proposed stands would not alter the use of the recreational ground and given the distance from the properties, it is considered that the proposed development would not have an unacceptable negative impact upon the privacy enjoyed by the occupiers of neighbouring properties.”

Ms Bowen added she recommended approving the plans.