Planning committee approves new use of new football stadium for events at King's Lynn Football Club

The football grounds in Lynn have been approved for a new use today at a Lynn West Norfolk council planning meeting.

The application was put forward to allow the stadium, which is located at The Walks, Tennyson Avenue, in Lynn to be used for concerts as well as football games.

Councillors approved the new use, which is part of a plan to "diversify the club and better utilise the facility".

The application when presented to the council said:“We want to allow the football club to diversify in order to receive financial support, to ensure the viability and longevity of the club.

Four objections have been received from people living around the sizeable ground, who fear concerts and events will bring noise and disturbance.

The stadium can accommodate up to 8,000 people.

A report presented to the council said:"There will inevitably be a level of noise and disturbance associated with the proposed events due to their very nature.

"However, this needs to be balanced with the current events that take place at the football club and whether the impact from the proposed events would be significant enough to adversely affect the amenity of others, over and above what would be reasonable in this location.

"It is your officer’s opinion that allowing four events per year would not unreasonably or substantially impact on residential amenity to such a degree that would adversely affect their living conditions, when taking into consideration the existing use of the football grounds."

“As a community facility, the football club is an underused resource and could be better utilised, in the interests of economic, social and environmental objectives. The principle of development is therefore acceptable.”

A statement on the club's website says: "It is very important that the club continues to remain economically viable, is able to expand in order to offer more opportunities for both football and other activities to take place.

“This will enable the club to continue to form an important part of the local community.”

The application said: “Seeking to allow non-football related entertainment events to be held on the premises for up to four times in one year”.

A site plan on the council’s planning website does show a stage at the Tennyson Avenue end of the ground and the rest of the playing surface designated as “a viewing area”.

Music events are already staged in the ground’s Blue and Gold Sports Bar.

When the proposals were first released, the club played down the idea of regular outdoor events and suggested it wanted to stage a Festival Too concert.

However, the event’s chairman, Abbie Panks said: “We have not spoken to the Football Club, nor do we have any plans whatsoever for moving Festival Too there, so I’m not sure where that information has come from.”