A NEW football pitch, floodlighting and stands will leave a green belt site looking like the Starship Enterprise, objectors say.
Buckhurst Hill Football Club wants to build a full-size football pitch and 24 new car parking spaces on its land in Roding Lane, providing a facility for its adult teams.
The latest plans include a 1.8m timber fence, floodlighting, steel stands for 50-100 spectators and refurbishment of the club's changing pavilion.
But the designs have led to an outcry from the parish council, which fears it will lead to a loss of open space for the community and look ugly.
Club chairman Simon Cornwell, 43, said: "We don't want to create a monstrosity.
"We are a charity, locally based, who give up our own time to volunteer for the benefit of local children."
Mr Cornwell said the club now catered for 350 children and he was eager to provide a high-quality facility, so young players could develop and move on to the adult squads.
"We have grown considerably over the last two to three years," he said. To take our senior team up to the next level we need the facilities. If we don't our senior team will not develop."
Mr Cornwell said he "totally understood and respected" those who opposed development of the green belt, but said the stands and floodlights would be sympathetically designed to limit the affect on the landscape.
Buckhurst Hill Parish Council objected to the proposal on Thursday and it will now go before district councillors for consideration.
Council chairman Cllr Gavin Chambers called the plan a "double blow" after the club last month refused to remove a fence preventing dog walkers crossing the current pitches.
"My view on this type of development is just further loss of open spaces and this area is of course green belt land," said Cllr Chambers.
"The flood lights proposed will make the east side of Buckhurst Hill look like the Starship Enterprise."
Michele Davies, 65, of nearby Cascade Road, also objected to the plans and said she and her neighbours would take their fight to the district council.
"I am astounded. This is a complete change. It's a little local sports club," she said.
"This is green belt. At the moment you can cope with a couple of changing rooms and that's ok - but that would make it almost like a league club."
Tony Oliva, chairman of the Buckhurst Hill Residents’ Society, said: “They’re turning it into a mini stadium.
"Suddenly, we go from being semi-rural to almost industrial and it’s a big leap."
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