Thetford Town Council voted to review the £1 million project for eight football pitches, a training area and changing facilities at a packed public meeting last week.

The council previously refused proposals for the scheme after concerns were raised about fencing off common land in February.

Speaking at the meeting, last Wednesday, Thetford Mayor Robert Kybird said: "This council was elected on the proviso of providing football facilities.

"We should be providing for all age groups in town and this would be a significant step towards doing that."

But Cllr Derek Mortimer said fencing off common land would violate the rights of people in the town.

He said: "We are not against football on the common. We are against fencing off the land and taking away the rights of the rest of the townsfolk to roam."

Cllr Terry Lamb said: "This council and the Football Association are right about the state of football provision in Thetford.

"We have been under provided, but the committee's efforts should be directed towards finding alternative land for this."

Gavin Lemmon, county development manager for Norfolk Football Association, said football teams were being forced to travel out of Thetford to play games.

Speaking at the meeting, he said: "The potential for that land is immense."

Robert Ogden, deputy headteacher at Charles Burrell High School, in Thetford, said the school's CCTV system would cover the proposed pitches, which could be used by the Thomas Paine Sixth Form's football academy.

Councillors voted to refer the matter to the amenities committee, to see if the project could go ahead without de-registering the land.
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