FURIOUS locals living in a picturesque town say it's being ruined by a new football stadium – and they don't even have enough people to fill it.
Homeowners in Chard, south Somerset fear that their town is "dying" and the last thing they need is for their local club to have a shining new ground.
Chard Town FC, who are in the Somerset County Premier League, currently play at Zembard Lane which is notorious for being on a steep slope.
The 11th tier English team have been trying to move to a new stadium for the last 30 years.
And now their dreams could become a reality as new stadium plans are submitted including 295 homes.
But many in the town are angry that planners and local authorities should be prioritising better health services rather than agreeing to a new football stadium and new homes.
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Butcher Nigel Matthews, 59, said: “Why are we trying to build a new football stadium when the town desperately needs more doctors surgeries and dentists.
“It’s a joke, this place is dying because we can’t attract people because there just isn’t the infrastructure in the town.
“A nice new football stadium would be great but if there’s no-one to come and watch or even play in the team it seems a bit pointless.”
Grandmother Jackie Dennis, 57, said: “I have two grown up children and a grandchild and they can’t find a dentist in the town.
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“Since Covid the whole system seems to have collapsed and dental surgeries have closed and people are either having to go private at a time when the cost of living is going through the roof or travel miles to find an NHS dentist.
“I’ve known people travel to Taunton a round trip of 30 miles just to see a dentist.
"While for older people that is not feasible because the bus service is just non-existent around here.
“It would be nice for the town to have a new football stadium but we need to get our priorities right.”
Shop worker Kimberley Gaylard, 63, added: “There’s talk of another 295 homes which means more than 600 new people coming into the town.
“That should be good news but where are their kids going to go to school and where are they going to get their health care.
“Perhaps when the houses remain unsold these developers will appreciate that people don’t want to come to Chard – even if it has a nice new football stadium – because there are no dentists or doctors to look after them.”
But retired Peter Langridge, 68, a member of Chard Bowls Club, said that the new stadium will be a great addition to the town.
He said: “We desperately need to attract new blood to the town and this will only help to do that.
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“The prospect of a new stadium and two other pitches on the site will only be good for the health of the community.”
The new stadium will come with a clubhouse and retail space and will allow The Robins – who celebrated their centenary in 2020 – to relocate from their current ground on Zembard Lane.
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