PLANS have been put forward to build Oxfordshire’s first two beach volleyball courts in Cutteslowe Park.

Oxford Volleyball Club has made the bid with support from Oxford City Council and £58,000 of funding from Sport England.

It says the nearest facilities for members to practise beach volleyball at the moment are in Portsmouth and Crystal Palace.

But the scheme has been criticised by the Friends of Cutteslowe & Sunnymead Park, who fear it will ruin a space used by families.

Volleyball club coach Neil Smith said: “There is a large volleyball community in Oxford that has grown since the 2012 London Olympics and we want to be able to offer it to more people.

“It would also be a good facility for the city to have for this exciting sport.”

The city council agreed to help the club choose a location, and in its planning application Mr Smith said the authority supported the latest choice.

The proposed courts would go in the southwest section of Cutteslowe Park, chosen because it was not too close to other existing facilities such as the basketball courts Mr Smith added: “It was in an area used less, so it seemed a better place to put it.”

The club – which provides indoor facilities for about 100 players – has been campaigning since June last year to have two courts for beach volleyball built in the city.

It has already been awarded £57,890 of National Lottery cash from Sport England’s ‘inspired facilities fund’ to build them. They will be built to Volleyball England specifications and accessible to the public.

But Friends of Cutteslowe & Sunnymead Park chairman Kit Villiers said committee members were alarmed by the latest plans.

The group urged the city council in December to share with it all sites it was considering for the courts.

Mr Villiers said the group had not been consulted on the latest location: “I was shocked and very disappointed to hear about it.

“Plans for the courts to be at this location are completely new, they have been sprung on us. But it will be an eyesore that will spoil a wonderful green area that is ideal for families to come and picnic on.

“It is also the first area of the park you come to when you come off of the A40, so it would be a shame to dump the courts there.”

The council is consulting on the plans until June 1 with a decision due before June 22.

To see the plans and comment, go to public.oxford.gov.uk/online-applications, ref 15/01197/FUL