THROW it out! That’s a Poole council official’s recommendation for the controversial £1m football ground plan for Branksome Rec.

Residents campaigning passionately against the loss of their open space are delighted Poole council planning officers have come down against Poole Town Football Club’s plans.

With a week to go before the planning committee holds a special meeting at Poole Port to thrash out the application – which has received 500 representations, the majority against – the recommendation to refuse it has stunned campaigners.

“It was an absolute shock to me,” said Jacqui Wilson, chairman of Branksome Rec Action Group, who admitted to being “cautiously delighted”.

She said: “Everyone here was getting more and more despondent. I just hope and pray the planning committee listens to the planning officers and chuck it out.”

The 25-page report, compiled by development team manager Richard Genge, pulls no punches in listing the ways in which the application for a football ground and multi-use games area, 160-seat stand, toilets, flood lighting and refurbishment of the existing pavilion, falls short.

It constitutes a loss of public open space and fails to provide alternative ground in an area short of public open space and is against council policy.

The development would be harmful to the character of the ground, fails to provide an essential community use and fails to prove that no harm will be caused to nearby heathland.

On top of that the design is said to be lacking in design quality and susceptible to vandalism.

“While there is no objection in principle to the refurbishment of the pavilion facilities, and their availability to the community, this does not justify the loss of a significant proportion of public open space,” said Mr Genge’s report.

Campaigner Cllr Phil Eades, who represents Branksome West, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic.

“It’s categorical on all grounds.

“I haven’t ever read such a negative report.

“Hopefully this is the end. They have got to kill it.”

Clive Robbins, chairman of Poole Town, said: “As a club, we don’t agree with the findings at all.”

“The loss of open space is quite permissible if a community benefit is provided and we think our scheme does deliver that.

“It’s become a very emotive issue and the planning officer has seen fit to go down this route.

“We don’t agree with him and will give our opinions, reasons and pitch to the planning meeting.”

The planning committee is due to meet at the ferry terminal at 10.30am on Wednesday.

Poole council leader, Brian Leverett, said in its role as landowner the council had supported the principle of the club using part of the ground, subject to conditions including planning permission.

“This demonstrates the council’s position as landowner is completely independent from its role as the local planning authority,” he said.