A COMMUNITY group wants to create a new road so people can safely access a sports community park.

Whalley Sports Community Park, which is located on the QEII playing field on Station Road in Whalley, wants to create a new sports and community hall for the use of Whalley.

The land, owned by Whalley Parish Council, was donated to the village in the 1980s. The QEII trust was formed in 1986 to look after the land.

In the last two years, the community group has raised and spent around £150,000 on its site, including draining playing fields, building a youth shelter and a multi-use games area.

Despite this, road access to the site is a dirt track and which members say is danger to cars driving down it, particularly during wet weather.

The group has applied for a grant for the work from Arriva.

Jonathon Smith, who has been a trustee of the volunteer community group since 1993, said: “At the moment the road is a disaster. It’s a dirt track.

“For nearly 40 years, the community park group have patched the track time and time again, spending ten of thousands of pounds that the group say they should have been spending on improving their facilities.

“We want a proper road which means everyone that goes to the site to watch their friends play cricket or walk the dog can actually get onto the site without having to go over the muck or 100 different potholes.

“It’s a pain in the backside applying for grant funding. Councils will not allow funds to build roads so we had to go to a different source for help which is why we chose Arriva.”

The group spokesman said the pitch has been built and the floodlights and fencing are being built at present but the group will need around £1,500,000 to achieve their ambition to create the new hub. The group so far has raised £250,000.

Mr Smith, who owns outdoor clothing company Whalley Warm and Dry, added: “The creation of the new road is a peripheral project. What we are trying to do is to have a community hub that will caters to Whalley villagers.

“Eventually we will have a building with changing facilities, a function room and where possible free sport facilities."