A LONG-running battle that has torn a community in two is due to come to a head at a crunch meeting.

Controversial plans by Poole Town Football Club for a stadium on Branksome Rec will be hotly debated by club officials and residents next Tuesday.

Councillors are due to make up their minds on the club’s £1m proposal for a new home ground, with community sports facilities, on public open space fiercely protected by residents.

This meeting of Poole council’s environment overview and scrutiny committee had been postponed from April 6, to allow all sides more time. It will pass on its recommendations to the council’s cabinet.

Even the postponement of the meeting itself aroused disagreement with protestors from Branksome Rec Action Group saying they were prepared to go ahead on the day.

“We chose to postpone the environment overview and scrutiny committee until May 5 to allow officers adequate time to produce a full report,” said chairman, Cllr John Rampton.

“The council is determined that views from all sides are carefully considered in full and we have held several recent meetings with groups for and against the proposal to ensure this.

“We have now received the relevant information from all parties and this is being collated in a fair and formal way.

“The committee will now have the difficult task of studying detailed reports, minutes, statements and evidence before making its recommendations to cabinet,” he said.

The action group is expected to come up with an alternative scheme in an attempt to stymie the club’s hopes of moving from Tatnam and building its new stadium on the rec.

However the club, Sydenhams Wessex League champion, desperately needs the site after the Football Association turned down its application to play Southern League football at Tatnam.

The meeting takes place at the Civic Centre at 7pm and is open to the public.