Electioneering ahead of next years local council elections has already begun.

The battle lines are being drawn over the Faraday Road former football pitch - with the current Conservative administration being labelled "mean-minded".

Both the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party say they will overturn current plans to build offices on the patch of grass on the edge of the London Road Industrial Estate.

Green Party councillors have given a categoric assurance that, should the Conservatives fail to retain control of West Berkshire Council in the elections in May 2023, they will seek the immediate reopening of Faraday Road as a football ground in line with the planning permission already granted to the Newbury Community Football Group.

The Lib Dems say they are confident of a majority at the next local election, and the Greens are confident of stealing more seats, and claiming the balance of power on the council.

Unless we are given very clear and strong reasons why not, we will upon taking control of the council next May proceed to allow the Newbury Community Football Group to implement its planning consent at Faraday Road," said Tony Vickers (Lib Dem, Wash Common).

"We will not sign up to any deals with any other organisation that purports to offer another site.

The Faraday Road pitch has been closed for team football for around four years now.

The build of the Monks Lane site is dependent on the outcome of a Judicial Review - on the legality of the planning consent process - going in the councils favour.

"It is only the link made by the current executive with Faraday Road that we object to," Mr Vickers added. "We have no problems with there being an all weather sports pitch on rugby club land or even sharing it with other sporting bodies. We assert that it cannot be seen as a replacement for Faraday Road."

He poured scorn on Green ambitions to claim the fight.

"It doesnt make much difference what the WBC Green Group think," he said. "They are not going to be in a position to take any decision on their own. If Lib Dems need their support, wed be grateful for it of course. Asking if we would join up with the Greens is like asking our Lib Dem colleagues in Parliament to join up with Labour in opposing some Government proposal and overturn it after the next General Election when Labour had already announced they would do so."

But the Greens want a piece of the action.

We have also consistently opposed the financially ruinous scheme to replace Faraday Road with a so-called sports hub at Monks Lane, which was given planning permission in the most questionable of circumstances and will be a burden to West Berkshire council tax payers for many years to come, said David Marsh (Green, Wash Common).

We agree with Sport England that Monks Lane is not equivalent or better than Faraday Road: it's too small, it can't be scaled up adequately, and the astronomical cost would be much better spent on addressing the need for sporting facilities across West Berkshire.

Unlike Monks Lane or the equally unsuitable Manor Park, it will be a genuine sporting and social hub for the local community in Clay Hill and further afield. It is a sustainable location well served by public transport.

Faraday Road had been earmarked for housing to finance the redevelopment of the London Road Industrial Estate. But the council U-turned earlier this year, and it's now set for commercial use.

Meanwhile - Liberal Democrat Newbury town councillors Nigel Foot and Stuart Gourley are demanding answers from West Berkshire Council on what they say is the lack of publicity given to the public consultation on building a new sports pitch on the green space in Manor Park.

They have also argued that the proposed sports pitch is a threat to the local areas accessible green space, which they say is an important site for the areas biodiversity and drainage.

Residents have told us that they are concerned that a playing pitch on the Manor Park site would do tremendous damage to the green space in our area, putting at risk biodiversity and natural drainage, said Liberal Democrat Newbury town councillor Mr Foot.

Rather than rip up this vital piece of Clay Hill green space, the Liberal Democrats have long argued that it would be a much better use of taxpayers money to return sport to the Faraday Road ground.

"The Conservative council bosses mismanagement of the whole London Road Industrial Estate saga has been staggering, and its no wonder that we are finding more and more West Berkshire residents turning to the Liberal Democrats to provide the fresh start our area needs.

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A game of two halves... or is it? - Newbury Today