HOPEFULLY NOT OFFSIDE WITH PLANNERS

What must be the most unusual and unexpected Brigg planning application to arise for some time is currently going through the process to be determined by North Lincolnshire Council.
For at least 10 years there's been a stretch of netting behind one of the goals at Brigg Town Football Club's ground, to stop balls going over the fence into nearby gardens.
However, someone, it seems, has twigged official permission was never granted and the Zebras have now submitted an application for "a lawful development certificate for the erection of an existing net and pole structure on the West boundary of the pitch."
Brigg Town FC explains: "As our common law duty of care, the club erected telegraph poles and netting behind the goal at the Hawthorn Avenue end of the ground, as it was forseeable that footballs could go into the gardens of tenants and owners of property, resulting in damage to property."
Brigg Town Councillors were asked to comment during this week's planning and environment committee meeting in the Angel Suite and seemed a bit surprised at the application. It was pointed out the netting had been there for many years.
A helpful photo was on display at the meeting, alongside the plans, maps and diagrams, showing one of Brigg Town's junior teams infront of the netting.
Two planning officers have been down to the ground to have a look.
Brigg Town FC is one of the world's oldest clubs, but we can only guess what the founding fathers in the 1860s would have made of "lawful development certificates" and "common law duty of care."
As Jimmy Greaves used to say on ITV: "Football's a funny old game!"