CONTROVERSIAL plans to change a football clubhouse into a nursery are pressing ahead despite confusion.

Banana Moon removed their planning application to change the use of the newly built Chipping Norton football clubhouse in Walterbush Road last week, prompting a relieved statement from the football club.

However, the removal of the planning application was because the business found that it did not need planning application.

This means that despite more than 150 objections to the proposal, including Chipping Norton Town Council, it is in-line to go ahead.

The football club is currently playing away from Walterbush Road as it has for the last two years due to housing developments at the old clubhouse.

However, the club was previously promised by West Oxfordshire District Council that football would return to the ground after the work was finished.

A statement on the club's Facebook page said: "Although over 150 objection were made by local people to the objected to the recent planning application to change the use of the football club to a new childcare provision. Although this planning application had been withdrawn, unfortunately it is not due to a change of plan.

"The application (17/02949/FUL) for Chipping Norton Club for the Change of use of newly built sports clubhouse (class use D2) to childrens nursery (class use D1), was withdrawn on the 20th October.

"However, it was withdrawn on the basis that no planning application would be required to change the use."

A change to the General Permitted Development Order says that businesses such as state-funded schools or registered nurseries can change the use of a building or any land within its curtilage that are used for leisure, amongst other things.

The club's statement added: "This essentially means, that although there were many objections, the change is ‘permitted development’ and does not require planning permission, so can simply go ahead.

"Please note that the current Chipping Norton Town Football Club / Committee shall review this new information and update people accordingly.

"We would also like to thank you all for the vast amount of support recently shown by the community and ask that you all please keep up the support."

The mayor of Chipping Norton, Cllr Mike Tysoe said that he was "very disappointed" as he does not believe the town needs a nursery.

Banana Moon have been approached for comment.