Sports fans voice concerns over firms’ new proposals

Oct 15 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

THE application from Scotmid to build on Volunteer Park caused some concern among Armadale Thistle fans who attended the meeting.

One supporter asked why the club should accept a move without getting a ground that meets or betters the facilities they already had.

And he asked if ownership of the new ground would be transferred to the club or if they would lease it.

Adrian Lorimer from Scotmid said the proposal would not go ahead without the successful relocation of Thistle.

He added: “Without them it will not happen.

“They are part of the proposal in terms of their relocation. How that relocation happens is up to the club.

“We have a wish list from the club which we are going through together.

“There are four or five sites we are looking at which are all within Armadale.

“This is not just for Armadale Thistle’s benefit but for the whole town.”

William Drummond from Armadale Sports Club wanted to know if the new sporting facilities at Watson Park would be available before the old ones were built upon if the council got the go ahead for a supermarket.

He said: “Right now in Armadale we don’t have enough football facilities as it is.

“We have 300 people in the sports club and only two teams train in Armadale because of the lack of facilities.

“Watson Park has been neglected for nine years and that is why it’s in the state it is just now.

“We put in a proposal in 2000 to develop it but it fell on deaf ears.”

But Jack Orr from West Lothian Council said any new pitches and facilities at Watson Park would be open before any developers were on site.

Concerns were also raised about how a new supermarket at the Heartlands development in Whitburn would affect the Armadale Station and Achadon applications.

Ewan McIntyre from the Armadale Station development said: “Whatever happens in Whitburn will not have any effect on Armadale.

“It needs a supermarket facility to serve the town and it’s very important we have both not just one.”

A spokesman for Achadon added: “We don’t see a risk from a proposal at Heartlands going ahead.

“It will offer more choice to local people which can only be good.”