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  • "Lurkinhead,
    To be fair to Ben quite a lot of the response from TRFC fans in previous posts have shown themselves to be less than understanding and tolerant and in some cases obnoxious, which I might add flies in the face of claims of support for the community and says more about their blind support for the "club"above all else."
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Back to square one for Ingleborough Field protestors

1:32pm Friday 20th July 2012 in News Exclusive By Stephanie Cureton

Dean Johnson Dean Johnson

PROTESTORS fighting against a war memorial field being sold off are “outraged” that they have to start their campaign from scratch.

Dean Johnson, who has pushed for plans to build houses on Ingleborough Road playing field to be scrapped, has told how previous objections no longer stand.

The news comes after Tranmere Rovers Football Club re-submitted their proposals to sell the former training ground to make way for almost 100 new homes.

The proposals, which go hand-in-hand with a revamp of Woodchurch Leisure Centre, were met with criticism from campaigners who wanted to retain the site’s historic meaning.

However Mr Johnson has now been told that his 200-strong petition is not valid in relation to the new plans but he claims that TRFC are not required to carry out another public consultation.

He said: “It seems unjust that we have to start all over again when there are no changes at all to the Ingleborough Road application.

“We managed to get more than 200 people to sign our petition and now it means nothing.

"I believe Tranmere’s consultation still stands despite the fact that it was carried out more than 12 months ago when local people were not completely aware of the site’s meaning.”

It is hoped that, if given the go-ahead, the club will be able to sell the former Birkenhead Institute land in a multi-million pound deal.

Tranmere Rovers Trust, which has thrown its weight behind the scheme, argued that the local community supported the plans.

Chairman Ben Harrison told the Globe earlier this year that if the plans were to be re-submitted and approved, the memorial plaque would be restored and moved to a more prominent location within the site.

But Mr Johnson is hoping to form a huge campaign against the plans and has even written to Prince Harry for support.

The prince has spoken in the past of preserving playing fields and of the importance of charity ‘Fields In Trust.’

Mr Johnson added: “We have got to go bigger this time and that is why I have written to Prince Harry to try to get more support.

"I think a lot more residents know about the field now and its history so it should be easier to get people on board.”

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