Bloody Hell Now This

Pompey's proposals for their new training ground complex to be situated in the area surrounding the Tithe Barn at Titchfield look to be under threat after the Village Trust reported in the parish magazine that English Heritage had recommended to the Fareham Borough Council that the application be refused.

The Titchfield Village Trust have reported that evidence for an Iron Age and Romano-British ditched settlement has been found by the archaeological survey in part of the site which is 'potentially of national significance'.

The Village Trust have already objected to the proposals which are due to be considered by the council planning committee on 19 December. The Trust's objections were based on 'sound planning reasons' and centred on the development affecing the character of the 'protected' historic landscape.

Now English Heritage have apparently written a detailed letter to the Council calling for the refusal of the application not only because of the adverse impact on the setting of the abbey, barn and fish ponds but also because of the impact on the buried archaeology.

Pompey had been hoping to have the training ground ready for use by the start of next season but other environmental concerns meant that the planning application had already become drawn out and subject to several studies and surveys one of which detected the presence of dormice for which special provision had to be made.

Now the ambitious plans look to be facing a new threat after the unearthing of this potentially valuable archaeological find, all worthy of Tony Robinson and his TV Time Team.
From Pompey-Fans.com