PLANS to install a new all-weather 3G sports pitch at Barry's Jenner Park Stadium have been approved - along with another four five-a-side 3G pitches in the Vale.

However, the decision has caused division with facility users claiming there will be winners and losers.

The Vale Council this week confirmed it would install an all-weather pitch at Barry’s Jenner Park Stadium to enable a greater number of teams of all ages and abilities to use the ground.

The authority also confirmed it would complement the installation of the new service by installing four five-a-side 3G pitches at the Colcot Sports Centre.

But while Barry Town United football club and its supporters cheered the new turf, mini league football organisers and the Barry & Vale Harriers athletic club committee declared it a loss.

Vale Council cabinet member for visible services, Cllr Gwyn John said the project was delivering more opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to get involved in sport in the Vale and it marked the start of an exciting sporting and community legacy project which would help regenerate Barry.

He said: “This investment will not only create a first class sports stadium for the whole community to enjoy, it will also create, at the Colcot Sports Centre, a new hub for football in the Vale. By installing all-weather pitches that can be used throughout the year we intend to increase participation at all levels of the game.”

He said the installation of the all-weather pitches would also dramatically reduce the cost of maintaining and running both sites.

The agreed plan identifies savings that can be made managing the facilities ‘in-house’ and the report, considered by cabinet (May 11), indicated greater savings could be possible if the facilities were in future managed by an external partner – a pledge which will now be investigated.

Work to appoint a contractor to undertake the work at Jenner Park will begin following the completion of a drainage survey and construction at Colcot Sports Centre once a separate drainage survey has been undertaken and all permissions granted.

The authority said the majority of athletics events currently practised at Jenner Park would continue unaffected by the introduction of the new synthetic surface; running track events continue, as will the long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault and shot put.

Cllr John added that Barry and Vale Harriers athletic club was directly consulted on the plans and had met with, among others, the director of visible services and housing and himself.

And the club was also consulted as part of the initial feasibility study.

He said: "We have done everything possible to accommodate athletics at Jenner Park. All of the running track lanes are being retained and the majority of disciplines currently practiced at Jenner Park will continue unaffected by the introduction of the new synthetic surface, even during construction. We would be happy to look at alternative locations in Barry to accommodate throwing events, which would include the hammer, an event that currently isn’t possible on the grass surface at Jenner Park."

But the Barry & Vale Harriers, who have more than 100 years association with the Jenner Park facility, has completely opposed the 3G Jenner Park pitch claiming the entire process from start to finish had not been about a community facility but about football and the need to put a 3G pitch at Barry Town's home ground.

The club said despite requesting several meetings with Vale councillors, including MP Alun Cairns, no-one from the Vale Council had been available to meet with Barry & Vale Harriers or Welsh Athletics, since the publication of the 3G Pitch Feasibility Report.

The club asked if the council could offer it a training facility when construction began in 12 weeks time, right in the middle of its competition season and whether the council could guarantee that Jenner Park would not lose any lanes of track and offer a Javelin throwing facility.

A club spokeswoman said: “For many years the athletics community has had to fight for money to be spent on the track at Jenner Park, yet in spite of the fact that the track was not fit for purpose, the Vale Council continued to allow schools to use the facility. Time and again we were told there was no money available and yet the Vale Council now has funding for several 3G pitches at the Colcot and Jenner Park.

“Jenner Park is a community facility not just a footballing facility. The athletics community, which includes Welsh schools and Vale schools and disability sports groups, will suffer from the installation of a 3G pitch."

Barry resident and Cardiff City FC scout, Jeff Howells, welcomed the plan and said all teams should be allowed to use the pitches, but he added that the club house needed to be re-opened to make the club financially stable and help invest in the youth of the town.

But mini league football organisers also criticised the council first stating it would like to thank the council for listening to its needs as the mini section of the Vale of Glamorgan AFL, but adding that four, five-a-side pitches was nowhere near enough to facilitate its needs.

They added that Colcot Sports Centre had always been the hub for football in the Vale as everyone was aware who was involved in football with participation levels increasing by 30 per cent over the last 2 years due to key factors.

Lee Saunders said: “It’s great that they have listened to us regarding putting 3G pitches in the Vale the few questions and concerns we have are, where are the four, five aside pitches going at the Colcot ? Are they replacing the astro pitch or will they go on the grass pitches?

“If they go on the astro we will struggle to accommodate the numbers we have at present, also if a management team come in to cover the pitches will they honour the agreement Parkwood have with mini football and allow it to us for free?

“If it replaces the astro then senior and junior teams will be forced to fight over the limited slots at Jenner Park for winter training.

“This council will leave a legacy though as it looks like mini football teams will be forced to pay if they want to play on such surfaces on a Saturday as we certainly don’t have enough grass pitches to put all age groups back on to grass.

“It’s disappointing that the council haven't spoken to us regarding this and we hope people realise it will in the long run only benefit elite players and a certain team that only have two teams in the junior section.

“RIP grassroots football in the Vale.”

Responding to the 3G pitch announcement, Vale MP Alun Cairns has called on the council to re-consider whether the five aside pitches would satisfy the demand for football in Barry and across the Vale.

Mr Cairns said: “I am pleased that the local authority has listened to my calls for multi-site investment in 3G pitches, but I am concerned that five aside pitches could limit usage for footballers of all ages. I would like to see full size pitches being installed in a number of areas in Barry. With over 40,000 people living in the town – the scope for more than one full size 3G pitch is clear.”