OPPONENTS have lost their battle to stop a rugby clubhouse being built on a recreation ground.

They were given hope last month when Brighton and Hove's environment committee opposed the scheme.

But the powerful policy and resources committee last night overturned the verdict.

It means Hove Rugby Club can lease land at the recreation ground, off Shirley Drive, to build the clubhouse, needed to serve new pitches.

The council's ruling Labour group made sure its members stayed in line for the crucial vote.

Tories opposed the lease, saying local people were strongly opposed.

They argued the club should consider merging and playing at Brighton's ground in Waterhall. Although Brighton is interested, Hove is not.

But leisure chairman Mike Middleton said: "This will be great for the youth of Hove. It's right that the council should encourage the club, which has the premier youth team in Sussex."

eopardised

The club already had planning permission, given five years ago by the old Hove Council.

Council leader Lord Bassam said: "All we're doing is leasing an area the size of a tennis court and levelling football pitches so that rugby can be played.

"Preventing this could have jeopardised more than £300,000 in lottery grants which the club had won."

Richard Beecham, chairman of Hove Rugby Club, said today the scheme would significantly improve facilities for rugby, football, cricket and netball.

He added: "The proposal has been debated endlessly over six years and consistently supported by the majority of elected members of the old Hove Borough Council and the new Brighton and Hove Council."

But Patrick Adam, of the Friends of Hove Recreation Ground, said: "The council was advised by the director of planning in 1993 not to do this for environmental reasons, and by the environmental services committee this year.

"There will be a legal challenge."

Coun Geoffrey Theobald, leader of the Tory group, said: "I have the highest regard for Hove Rugby Club and the work it does for young people. My concern is over the levelling of the recreation ground."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.