PLANS to relocate Chard’s largest football team alongside nearly 300 new homes have been submitted, three years after the high court threw out similar plans.

The controversial Mount Hindrance site was subject to a fierce planning battle, which looked to have ended in February 2016 when an appeal to build 350 homes was thrown out.

Now, a new application has been submitted by Mactaggart and Mickel for 295 homes on the same site, a floodlit football pitch - potentially the new home of Chard Town FC - and other community facilities.

Garry Shortland, mayor of Chard, believes the designs will split opinion in the town once again.

He said: “From what I have seen, it looks like a good move for the football club.

“It will certainly improve the football provision for the town. I am not sure if anyone else is going to like it though.

“This is a major application, it isn’t something you can look at for one or two days.

“There will be a case of where will people work, etc, as we are finding with the current applications like the Persimmon and Kier plans off Forton Road.

“Although there is a figure in there for school provision, it will be a cash amount. There are no new schools in these plans, and the schools we have don’t really have space for expanding.”

At the heart of the latest application is a new stadium which could be home to Chard Town FC, who have been looking for an improved site for more than 30 years.

However, Lyndsey Gage, chairman of the club, said they have been left a little disappointed by the timing of the application.

“This is the most positive road we have been on for a long time,” he said.

“But we are not happy with some parts of this. We are still waiting to receive something in writing from them to say we will go into that stadium.

“This application won’t go through without us involved.”

Mr Gage also said they may not be the only club to benefit from the stadium if it is built.

He added: “Two or three other teams could come and join us at this new project - youth football, ladies football and walking football.

“The solicitors are talking now so hopefully we can get it finalised, and then hopefully the council will back it.”