AN AMATEUR football club has asked the council for planning permission to build a new clubhouse.

Silloth AFC has applied to Allerdale Borough Council for permission to build a new clubhouse at the sports centre on Eden Street.

The application for a new club house accompanies a request for wider redevelopment plans at the site

The football club has a 21 year lease on the football pitch and changing rooms at the site as well as the enclosed all weather training area.

However, Silloth AFC have said that the expansion of the junior game will be impacted by a lack of facilities. The club's facilities at the site are currently designed to accommodate the senior game.

Silloth Football Club runs a First Team in the senior game as well as 7/8 junior boys girls and mixed teams.

In their statement setting out the plans to Allerdale Council, they said: "The club under the guidance and support of the Cumberland Football Association and the town council have applied for and been awarded some £100,000 by the Football Foundation towards the development of a junior clubhouse to, provide facilities for the existing club structure but to also promote and expand junior football in the town and the surrounding area."

Planning permission is needed from the borough council's planning panel by the end of this month as the funding is time limited.

Silloth AFC added that the allocation of such a large sum of money is a rare occurrence for a Cumbrian club as it faces competition from other clubs throughout the United Kingdom.

Plans involve removing an existing timber building to build "a functional but well designed building" in its place. The applicant said that the new clubhouse will better reflect the appearance of the existing buildings.

The club believe their development will address a lack of facilities in Silloth, in accordance with the Allerdale Local Plan.

Silloth AFC said: "The Club have recognised the need to improve the sports and recreational facilities in the town and not only is that aim supported by Policy S25, the Football Foundation has clearly recognised that the proposal meets an identified deficiency in sports facilities to meet the aims of the adopted Sport and Recreation Strategies."