THE fate of a controversial £7m plan to move a sports club is to be decided next week.

Witney Town Council will be asked on Tuesday to strike a deal which would move West Witney Sports and Social Club from the site it owns in Burford Road to land in Downs Road, next to Witney Lakes Golf Resort.

The five Downs Road landowners would then get the Burford Road site for 100 to 120 houses. Details of the deal have not been released due to commercial sensitivity.

The new site could feature an indoor netball and tennis hall, eight floodlit tennis and netball courts, a cricket pitch, rifle range, social club and 10 football pitches, two floodlit.

The current site has seven unlit football pitches, four tennis courts, a cricket pitch, bowling green, rifle range and a sports and social club.

Witney town mayor James Mills welcomed the plans, but some users of the present site do not want to move.

Mr Mills said: “The existing facilities at West Witney are in need of refurbishment, and across the town there is a shortage of available football pitches and changing facilities. The proposal gives us the opportunity to resolve all these issues at a stroke and fullfill the sporting aspirations of the residents of Witney, their children and future generations.”

But Martyn Stacey, chairman of Witney Pistol Club, said he was worried about the long-term future of the new site.

He said: “One of the problems we have had is that the finances have never been outlined to us in enough detail. We want to see whether the financial plan includes the provision of a fund to support the site after it has been built.”

Safe access for young users was also a concern because the new site was close to an industrial estate.

He added: “Twenty-ton lorries are not a good mix with young people crossing the road on bikes.”

Paul Groom, president of Tower Hill Football Club, said he did not want to move further from the town.

He said: “We like to base ourselves on being a community club. We don’t want to lose that.”

Chris Gurney, who represents the Downs Road landowners including himself, said: “It’s an exciting project which will benefit the community, not only now but will accommodate future demands from the expansion of Witney.”

Money would still be needed from outside bodies such as Sport England, and the sports complex and housing would need planning permission from West Oxfordshire District Council.