PLAYING fields in Widnes are set to be leased to a non-league football club as part of plans to improve sports facilities in the borough.

The plans, which will come before Halton Borough Council’s executive board next week, would see Widnes FC lease the former Corpy Club building and pitches at King George V Playing Fields in Dundalk Road from the council.

A report prepared ahead of the executive board meeting states that the plans would also see part of the playing fields enclosed around an adult grass pitch.

The report said: “Detailed building drawings have not been received, but as there were significant change [sic] to the appearance of the playing fields, the council required the consent of the National Playing Fields Association (Fields in Trust) to the plans and the lease.

“The council is in a position to agree heads of terms, subject to Widnes FC Ltd firming up their proposals and submitting a planning application.”

Founded in 2003, Widnes FC is currently based at the DCBL Stadium and plays in the Northern Premier League’s Division One North West – the eighth tier of English football.

The club is understood to have been in talks with the council regarding the Dundalk Road pitches since summer 2019 and the club has offered to invest more than £1m in improving both the clubhouse and playing fields.

The former Corpy Club has been empty since its lease was surrendered to the council in July 2018, with only the changing rooms now used by teams renting the pitches.

A building survey in 2019 found electrical and mechanical works needed to be carried out, as well as work on internal walls due to damp, but the council currently has no plans to invest in the clubhouse and is only carrying out routine maintenance at a cost of around £41,000 a year.

Halton Council last year invited expressions of interest from clubs willing to take on the building, but after site visits from several organisations Widnes FC was the only one to make an offer.

If a lease is agreed, Widnes FC will need to submit a planning application to develop the clubhouse and enclose one of the pitches.

But the council was keen to stress that no final agreement has been reached with the club.

The executive board report said: “At this point it should be noted that no agreement has been entered into with Widnes FC Ltd.

“Officers have now got the discussions to a stage where the Council needs to consider if Widnes FC Ltd should be encouraged to invest significant time and resources in preparing a planning application.

Widnes FC to move to new home ground “No assurances have [been] given to Widnes FC that a planning application will be successful. Thus the heads of terms will remain in draft format until such time council approval is given.

“If approval to proceed with a lease is granted, then following the applicant’s planning submission, the planning documentation will need to be sent to Fields in Trust for review and approval.

“As long as there are not any significant changes to the plans already presented then Fields in Trust do not expect to change their position/conditions of lease.”

If Widnes FC’s proposals are approved, the council will no longer have to pay for the running costs of the pavilion and playing fields and the club would bring significant investment in facilities that the council acknowledges are in “poor condition”.

It would also bring about the pitch improvements called for by the council’s Local Football Facilities Plan, which identified improving pitches at King George V playing fields as a priority project.

Halton Council’s executive board will discuss the plans at its meeting on December 10.