It is no secret that owner of Preston North End, Trevor Hemmings, owns a block of land at Ingol which he has wanted to develop for a number of years.
Plans had been put forward previously on behalf of Hemmings to build a new housing state on the current land where the golf club resides. Those plans had previously been refused partly because the land had to be used for sport and partly because of the housing position.
It is clear that Hemmings made a decision to make some use of the land by using part of the land for a new training facility for the football club whilst building a number of houses which would fund the training facility which is rumoured to cost in the region of £14 million.
The plan was prudent and cost effective. He managed to force the golf club into terminal decline. Preston could easily have bought Bolton's training ground when offered for a cut price £4 million but Hemmings decided to puruse the Ingol option.
It was thought that with the reduction of houses the Council would approve the planning application. Sadly, whilst there was no issue with the training ground facility the planning for the houses was ruled out and therefore the plans as a whole were rejected.
It was a close vote but permission was refused. There was an almost immediate statement from the club and relations appear frosty at best with the local council.
Fans were in uproar but there are options availbale to the club incluuding an appeal.