The village of Blackburn has a population of 4800 and is located in West Lothian, several miles to the west of Livingston. Based at Murrayfield Park in Blackburn since it's formation in 1978, the Blackburn United Community Football Club has 14 years of a 25 year lease left remaining on the ground and its pavilion. The current premises consist of two changing rooms, two shower rooms, a dedicated referee's changing area, a small committee room and a small kitchen. Externally there is one full size, grass pitch. Football on the ground has been played since the 1930’s and its current layout with running track was established in the early 1960’s when the pavilion and other facilities were constructed. The current mesh boundary fence was renovated in 1980, the last major updating of the ground. Consequently, Murrayfield Park is an aging facility, is expensive to maintain and is considered unfit for purpose in the modern football climate.
In conjunction with a local property developer, a Uniting Blackburn proposal was presented to the Whitburn and Blackburn Local Area Committee on 18th August 2008 for their consideration (view the proposal by clicking on the document front cover to the left and on appendices 1 to 3. For an information leaflet click here). At the meeting, WLC Property Services Manager Jack Orr recommended that, as the Club's proposal hinged upon Murrayfield Park being developed for residential housing with the Club relocating to the Council owned open space to the east of the current ground and that this was contrary to the Council's open space strategy as outlined in their Local Plan (2005), the Club's proposals could not be taken forward in their present form. As additional justification for this recommedation it was also outlined that the Club's proposals would present problems for WLC Education Services as existing secondary school rolls in the Blackburn area are currently unable to support any new residential development not already included in the aforementioned Local Plan.
Despite further representation from the Club questioning the validity of the open space strategy in this instance the Chair of the meeting moved to pass and minute the recommendation from Property Services (click here for the minutes of the August Local Area Committee meeting and click here for the Property Services recommendation). The Chair further indicated that the Club should engage with Property Services on the matter in an attempt to identify a possible acceptable alternative.
After an October 2008 meeting with Property Services, Sports & Educational Services and Land Services an alternative proposal for ground regeneration which would allow the Club to meet the objectives laid down in the Club constitution (see appendix 1) was presented as part of the Club's Development Plan (view the Development Plan by clicking on the document front cover to the right and on appendices 1 to 6). The Club consider the regeneration outlined in the Development Plan essential to accommodate the existing needs of the football teams playing on a weekly basis in the village while also allowing for further expansion and engagement with the local community.
Both the original proposal and the project contained within the Development Plan fit within the West Lothian Drug Action teams strategy for tackling drug misuse. One of the 5 related elements to drug prevention activities in West Lothian is the development of alternative activities for people at risk. One of the Action points is to involve local communities in building alternatives to substance misuse for young people. Given that West Lothian has Scotland's fastest growing young population and, that this target group is under enormous amounts of peer pressure, it is important to offer a variety of alternatives. We see this project as a strand of that strategy. Most importantly it keeps children off the streets and has the potential to divert them from anti social behaviour in the community. It is estimated that 90% of teenagers in Scotland drink alcohol at least occasionally. It is important that we invest in facilities that encourage children to take part in healthy activities and remain in those activities in years to come. We see our project as having the ability to encourage youngsters to enjoy sport in a safe environment and maintain that interest by offering them a facility that caters for all their requirements right through to adulthood.
Regeneration Aims & Objectives
Note: up to date information on the progress of the aims and objectives listed below can be found by clicking here to be taken to the development thread on the Club Messageboard.
