New facilities for young footballers finally approved... but 'it could be too little, too late'

PLANNING PERMISSION APPROVED BUT WAIT HAS TAKEN TOLL

- By OSCAR FISHER

LONG-AWAITED footballing facilities in a disadvantaged corner of Derby have been given the go ahead but the founder of the local football team at the centre of it all fears it could be "too little, too late.

Kenny Sharpe spoke out in October, after he made the heartbreaking decision to cancel Stockbrook Colts' training sessions due to the "horrendous" state of the facilities.

"The surface is unsafe, it isn't cleaned... the fencing around the edge is dangerous... it is just sticking out and could seriously injure someone if they ran into it," Kenny said, back in October.

He also raised issues over lighting due to overhanging trees, and persistent flooding due causing an uneven surface.

A planning application for a new Football PlayZone was submitted back in February, but Kenny says people "only started to care" when the story was published by the Derby Telegraph.

"We've waited months and months to get the planning permission approved, but they didn't care until we threw our toys out of the pram and went to the Derby Telegraph for help," said Kenny.

"Over in Normanton, it took less than a month for a similar project to get approved and there was no trouble at all. So why can't Stockbrook, which is only down the road, have the same urgency?

"Yes, it's good that it has finally been approved, but the whole thing is bittersweet. It could be too little, too late. I just don't know how long we can keep waiting.