Plans to further develop Ashby Ivanhoe Football Club's ground at Lower Packington Road could be given the go-ahead next week.

The club have applied for permission to carry out works to an existing clubhouse, to include raising the roof height to provide first floor accommodation, dormer windows and a balcony with the erection of a single storey building to provide changing room facilities.

There are also plans for an retention/extension to a terrace stand and new pathway.

But the scheme has been 'called in' by Ashby councillor Dave Bigby and will be debated by councillors at next week's North West Leicestershire District Council planning committee meeting, on February 6.

However, the agenda document says the council officer's recommendation is for the application to be permitted.

Last July, the club were given the green light to expand its site with new sport pitches and a larger parking area.

But Cllr Bigby says the scheme will impact on the residential amenity of the closest occupiers of his ward to the site; will impact on highway safety in his ward, specifically in terms of traffic and parking; is unacceptable development in the countryside; and will impact on the River Mease Special Area of Conservation.

Ashby de la Zouch Town Council also raised objections on neighbour amenity, highway safety and sustainability grounds.

Ashby Ivanhoe's ground at Lower Packington Road. Photo: Ashby Ivanhoe FC

The council officer's report says: "The proposal would allow for new single storey changing room facilities to replace an existing portacabin, raising the roof to the existing club to provide first floor accommodation, dormer windows, rooflights and a balcony, the retention and extension of an existing terraced stand and the provision of new concrete hardstanding alongside the southern and eastern boundaries of the existing playing pitch."

In all, 41 letters have been sent to the council in total about this application, 25 in support of the proposal, with 16 raising objections to the scheme.

After strong objections from people living close to the ground following the July decision, the club were asked to set up a liaison committee with local residents.

But they claim that has not happened - and the club are 'not interested'.

Residents' objections include concerns that it is an example of 'creeping development'.

They also say they are already negatively affected by events held at the club - and that visitors to the club have 'no regard for residents, blocking drives, creating litter and noise, and have been threatening'.

Residents have complained that 'the club are destroying the once quiet and beautiful area'.

They have highways and parking concerns, comparing Ivanhoe to Ashby Rugby Club who, they say, have recently doubled the size of their clubhouse and improved facilities, but also created enough off street parking for those that attend.

But the council officer's report supports Ivanhoe's plans and says the effect on local residents is not grounds for refusing the application.

It says: "Whilst neighbouring properties who have objected to the proposal are concerned that the works are to facilitate an increased membership to the club, it is clear from visiting the site that the existing facilities are in a poor condition which is impacting the existing users, which has further been confirmed within the letters of support for the proposal.

"The works proposed are intended to improve the site provisions for the current members by providing a new single storey changing room facility to replace the present facilities, raising the roof of the existing clubhouse to provide additional space and the retention and extension of the existing terraced stand.

An artist's impression of how the new development would look. Image: North West Leicestershire District Council

"It is not considered that the relatively modest amendments proposed to an existing and established football club would result in an unacceptable increase in noise and disturbance over and above that of the existing site which could warrant a refusal of planning permission and neighbouring properties are sufficiently distanced from the works to not be adversely impacted over and above the impacts from the existing development.

"The Council's Environmental Protection Team were consulted on this application and confirmed they had no objections to the development.

"Whilst neighbouring properties have raised concerns relating to noise impacts in particular the proposed balcony, given the distance of the proposal from neighbouring properties, the overall scale of the proposal and when having regard to the existing use of the site and following no concerns raised by the Council's Environmental Protection Team it is not considered that any specific noise mitigation conditions are required or that a refusal on these grounds could be substantiated.

"Matters relating to excessive noise and disturbance are not covered by the planning system and are covered by the Environmental Protection Act.

"This planning application can only consider that which has been specifically submitted by the applicant and it cannot address the issues with the club as existing which are raised by the objectors and are listed as not being material planning considerations in the earlier neighbour objections part of this report."