Beware of Feltham Arenas own goal - Lib Dem PPC Andy Darley to survey residents on Brentford FC plans

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 26th Mar 2001

The concerns of residents near the Feltham Arenas site must not be forgotten in discussions over whether Brentford FC should move there, Andy Darley has warned.

The Liberal Democrat PPC for Feltham and Heston has held talks with Brentford FC managing director Gary Hargraves on the club's plans to move to Feltham and now plans to survey the views of residents living near the site.

He said:

"For two years I lived near the Feltham Arena and walked through the Glebelands almost every day on my way to and from the railway station. I find it impossible to imagine the disruption caused by dropping a full-sized football stadium into there.

"When I spoke to Mr Hargraves he made many very sensible points about the future of Brentford FC and the strengths of Feltham Arena as the possible site of its new home.

"But it is vital that we do not forget the people who live there, and the effect it would have on their lives. That's why over the next few days I will be visiting them to ask their views.

"One thing is clear already - the 25,000 seat stadium that the Labour council is trying to force the club to support would be an oversized, underused and unwanted own goal."