CAMPAIGNERS fighting Tranmere Rovers' plans to sell its former training ground for redevelopment are seeking a meeting with the club's new owner to discuss their concerns over the proposals.

Wirral planning committee will meet on Thursday to consider the League Two club’s application to sell its Ingleborough Road site in Birkenhead, to make way for development of 90 houses.

The scheme - which has been recommended for approval - goes hand-in-hand with a parallel application to create four full-sized football pitches plus one junior academy pitch and one training area on land near the Solar Campus in Leasowe.

A decision on the proposals was deferred by Wirral planning committee last month until site visits had taken place.

Rovers' new owner Mark Palios said last week that plans for the future of the club would be jeopardized if the sale was rejected.

But campaigners have called the plans "disrespectful" to the memories of Wirral soldiers killed in the First World War and hope to discuss their concerns with Mr Palios.

In a statement, campaign group Birkenhead Institute Old Boys said: "It is gratifying that new ownership at Tranmere Rovers has resulted in them finally breaking silence on the need to dispose of the Memorial Fields in this way.

"For the past two years, Peter Johnson has ignored our pleas for consultation and discussion with Birkenhead Institute Old Boys, who hold dear to the example of those of our number who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this Country.

"This is something which has caused a great deal of unnecessary upset.

"Had we had such an opportunity this could have led to other options being considered, in particular particularly in terms of the current inadequate proposals for a Memorial Feature.

"In the new spirit of openness which Mark Palios appears to be bringing to the Club, we hope that he will agree to meet us to enable such discussions to take place with the aim of finding a solution of which we all can be proud."

Mr Palios said last week: "We have already publicly stated that our plans to make Tranmere Rovers Football Club self-sustainable are predicated on two planks.

"One is being a development club and the other is being more than a Football Club, with Rovers becoming a sports hub in the heart of the community.

“If we are unable to follow through on our plans to build a first class academy complex at Solar Campus, the club will find it impossible to provide the adequate training facilities required to retain our prized Category 3 Academy status."