PLANS to build a fence at Llandudno rugby club have sparked objections from nearby residents.

The rugby club has submitted a planning application to Conwy council planners, which will be considered on Wednesday 12 June.North Wales Pioneer: Llandudno rugby club. Picture: Kerry RobertsLlandudno rugby club. Picture: Kerry Roberts

The planning application states the club has problems with dog fouling, anti-social behaviour, litter, drugs, alcohol, sexual related incidents and vandalism including damage to posts and cross bars.

It adds: “The fence would reduce the number of anti-social behaviour problems which the club is currently experiencing, whilst also ensuring that players are safer when using the facility. The fence would be similar to others found around play spaces and also in the vicinity.”

Cllr Carol Marubbi of Llandudno town council said: “I appreciate the dilemma the rugby club is in and I understand why they want to fence the pitch off, but the people who live there will have to look at a galvanised metal fence.

“The rugby club should have done a proper consultation and put their proposal in the newspaper, and they should have worked with the community and should have consulted the entire community in Tudno ward. They need to get the community on side.

“I understand both sides of this, however the Diocese gave the field to the community in 1933.”

Robbie Shields, Chairman of Llandudno Rugby Club said: “The fence is mainly for safety. It will run only along Maesdu Road and halfway along one of the sides of the field behind the floodlights, not completely around the ground, we don’t want to surround it completely. The plan is for four gates along Maesdu Road, three for pedestrians and one for emergency vehicles.

“The fence is for safety because balls kicked to the touch line can now go into the road, and people including children run into the road to recover them, this is obviously dangerous. Neither do we want to damage cars.

“People let dogs run on the pitch off their leads and don’t clean up the mess they leave, this is unpleasant and unhealthy especially when there are rugby matches and training sessions on the pitch. Our junior team, youngsters aged between eight and 13, play on Sundays, and the senior team plays on Saturdays and practices during the week. If the dogs are kept on leads it is more likely their owners will clean up after them.

“A number of hypodermic needles have been found on the pitch and that also poses a health risk for players and the community. “If we get planning permission for the fence we will install a CCTV camera and Conwy council will have access to its video to improve security.

“If we get permission we will work with the local community to decide what type of fencing is installed. We think this fence is not just for the rugby club, but for benefit of anyone who uses the ground.”