Staxigoe pitch plans get closer to goal of moving to village
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A Caithness community group has moved a step closer towards its goal of establishing a pitch for the village football team.
Planning consent granted earlier this week paves the way for the creation of a home venue for county league side Staxigoe FC.
Staxigoe Community Football Pitch will also make the ground available for wider community use.
It is now looking to work on the surface as well as focus on its plans to build a changing pavilion and car parking.
The ground, which adjoins a children's play park, comprises 1.1 hectares of land which used to be part of Noss Farm, on the south-west edge of Staxigoe.
The starting gun on the long sought-after scheme sounded in 2016 when the land was gifted by the late Alister Clyne.
Colin Davidson, who chairs the community group, welcomed the planning consent which changes the use of the land from agricultural to recreational.
He said much still needs to be done to turn the land into a football venue.
As well as improving the surface, he said it is looking to progress phase two of its plans – the creation of a pavilion and a parking area.
It is working with Dingwall-based business management consultant Sandy Anderson and Caithness architect Neil McDonald on the scheme, costing upwards of £500,000.
Mr Davidson, who is also secretary of Staxigoe United, said it is too early to say when the club – which currently use Wick's Upper Bignold Park – can play in its home village.
He said: "Getting the planning consent for the change of use is another move forward but we obviously need the changing facilities as well as the pitch.
"The timescale depends on how quickly we are able to raise the necessary funds."
The pavilion is being earmarked to go up on the south-east corner of the pitch, near the village war memorial.
The not-for-profit community group received a boost recently when it received £36,307 in community regeneration funding from Highland Council.
