A PUBLIC meeting will be held in Alresford to discuss the proposed new rugby pitches as a deadline rapidly approaches to start work.

The rugby club has to start work by June 30 or run the risk of losing grants for the scheme at Arlebury Park.

Relations between some Alresford civic chiefs and the town rugby club have been strained in recent months after disagreements arose over whether there should be one pitch or two, details of leases and grants.

Town councillor Jonathan Read has been liaising with the various parties to reach agreement.

He said: “There have been a number of meetings between the parties and we think we have reached the stage where not only is the plan viable but addresses all the issues.

“We have worked hard to get everybody lined up and talking to the same plan. We are in as good a state as we can be.”

Potential hitches with Sport England and the Rugby Football Union over the number of pitches and length of the lease look to have been resolved.

The landowner Rodney Morgan-Giles is happy to see a second pitch on his land but he retains the right to have the land reinstated at the end of a 14-year lease.

Cllr Roy Gentry says he will oppose the plans. “I do not want to see two pitches on that land. I am happy with one. The second is going to be on land which only has a 14-year lease. It is silly to spend a lot of money on something like that.

“But the majority of the council are in favour of going ahead, so I think it will go through.”

The public meeting will be at the Alresford Recreation Centre on Tuesday June 11 at 7.30pm.

The town council is due to make a decision on supporting the scheme at its meeting on Thursday June 13.