Plans to bring a £6m sports and leisure hub to Walton were voted down at a packed planning committee meeting this week.

People were out in force on Monday, July 2, to hear councillors discuss plans for a new football ground, athletics track and clubhouse at Waterside Drive in Walton.

Peter Hadley, who spoke on behalf of the applicants, said he felt proud to be involved in the project, which he said would create facilities for international standard athletics.

Councillor Christine Cross said: “It will be a great benefit to our community.”

However, the issue of Walton and Hersham Football Club, which the council wants to move to the new development to ground share with Walton Casuals, could not be shaken off, despite not being an issue for planning.

Councillor Tony Popham, who abstained from the vote, said: “We are not totally convinced Walton and Hersham will move there.

“We are in a catch 22 situation. It’s a nice facility, some can object it’s on greenbelt, but we can justify that, yes.

“But, if they don’t move there what have we got? We’ve got a white elephant really.”

Councillor Victor Eldridge said that would be an “odious position” to be in, while Councillor Ian T Donaldson warned his colleagues tread carefully because the council was not just the applicant, but also the judge and jury in granting or refusing it.

He said it looked very bad for the council to support their own Waterside Drive plans when plans to build an archery centre on greenbelt land at Apps Court Farm just down the road were refused.

Elmbridge’s planning officer explained Apps Court was refused because they were indoor facilities so impacted on the openness of the land.

Councillor Roy Green warned about the “almighty size” of the stands and associated buildings, which would be 96m wide.

Major concerns were also raised about the safety of the site itself, which was used for landfill between 1944 and 1973 - with metals, cyanides and asbestos dumped there.

Objector Matthew Davison, owner of the Weir Hotel in Walton, said: “Can councillors in good conscience allow this risk to be exposed to their constituents?

“Is this really the best place for our children to be playing football and athletics?”

Councillors voted to refuse the outline planning permission five votes to four, but it was promoted to full council for a final decision on July 10.