Both manager and chairman say they are shocked that the council decided to reject the clubs appeal for planning permission for an indoor sports academy. The plan was to improve the facilities at the club’s Springfields training ground.
The council rejected the application citing the ‘visual impact of the proposed structure,’
Chairman Derek Shaw said: ‘I am absolutely shocked. We are very disappointed at the news. We felt that we had a very strong case, especially considering the big push at government level to push grassroots sports, with the Olympics coming to Britain and a proposed bid for the World Cup. It would appear though that the local council and the government do not want to support a scheme of this kind and thus the children of the Preston area and the club have to suffer the consequences.’
Davies added his disappointment saying: ‘There’s no doubt that it’s a huge blow. The club have spent a lot of time, effort and money on a proposal to take the youth side forward with this scheme and to turn it down on the grounds that it doesn’t look too good seems ridiculous. We already lose a lot of talented youngsters to the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Manchester City who run academies and this would have been an opportunity to combat that and give Preston North End’s youth system a brighter future.’
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