CITY councillors will consider Lancaster City FC's planning application for major ground improvements on Monday.

Officers at the council recommended that the councillors accept the proposals.

The Citizen exclusively revealed that club wanted to build open and covered terracing at a cost of more than £200,000 last November.

The council received seven letters of complaint citing problems of loss of views of castle, devaluation of property, the fact that the ground is never full anyway as well as additional noise and disturbance.

A council officer report prepared for elected members states: "These improvements are required in order to bring the ground up to the required standard to allow the club to be promoted. The works consist of a new changing room, a new open terrace at the north end of the ground, a canopy to be erected over the east stand, a new toilet block and various minor works.

"The result would be to increase the capacity of the ground from 2210 to 3274... at present the average gate is 234.

"I have considered carefully the neighbours' representations, The loss of views is not a consideration which can be taken into account in the determination of a planning application. The proposed changing room, terrace and canopy are sufficiently distant from neighbouring properties - no objection from the chief environmental health officer to the toilet block.

"I consider that the proposed alterations are acceptable."

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