HOPES of creating new sporting and community facilities in Williton have been hit after ambitious plans for a pavilion and multi-use games area failed to win the go-ahead. West Somerset Council's planning committee had been recommended to approve the Memorial Ground scheme at its meeting last Thursday. But although most councillors voiced their general support for the concept of the development, the majority voted to refuse the application, which had been put forward by Williton Parish Council. They raised concerns about the location of the pavilion element of the scheme, which would see the construction of a glass-fronted building with a 415-metre footprint, providing space for a badminton court and a community area seating 150 people for a meeting or 100 for a function. The only parking facilities would be six disabled spaces, with the vehicular access via the existing Robert Street access, which would have to be widened by 2.6 metres. Original plans positioned the building more or less behind the village's GP surgery on the site of an existing storage shed. But Environment Agency concerns about potential flooding meant it was relocated further along the Robert Street side of the ground to a site considered to be lower risk. However Cllr Andrew Hadley told the meeting that he feared the "dead space" behind the building could become a focal point for anti-social behaviour, creating problems for neighbouring residents. With the nearest property in Robert Street around 20 metres away from the building and the rear boundary of one house in Long Street a distance of 18 metres, councillors were told by the council's assistant director of planning and environment Tim Burton that the impact on neighbouring properties was a key planning consideration. But he said councillors had to judge whether the impact would be so harmful that the application should be refused. However, several councillors shared Cllr Hadley's concerns, with Cllr Keith Turner describing the potential impact as "massive". Cllr Eddie May, who represents Williton on the authority, said he supported the idea of a pavilion but believed it was in the wrong position. And he described the application as incomplete because one of the main stumbling blocks - securing an agreement to buy the strip of land needed to widen the entrance - had not been resolved. "I am not against it being built but not where it is," he said. But Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew said there was a definite need for the facilities: "You will never find a perfect position for it - I support it." Concerns were also raised about noise from the building but committee chairman Cllr Tony Knight reminded councillors that one of the conditions recommended by officers was that no amplified sound - recorded, via tannoys or loud speakers - would be allowed within the building or within 20 metres of it. However, Cllr Karen Mills questioned whether the condition would mean the pavilion was unsustainable. Williton Parish Council vice-chairman Cllr Bill Vaughan told the meeting that his council had been concerned at the lack of community facilities in the village for some time. He said the proposed development would create a central hub for activities and organisations, ranging from the youth club to sports clubs. And he said a survey carried out in 2013 had shown 80 per cent of villagers supported the idea. Parish council chairman Cllr Robert McDonald said the authority was often criticised for doing nothing for the community: "But we have to look at the bigger picture - and this is the bigger picture." Cllr McDonald said the council was looking to provide a modern building which would cater for the needs of all the community. Resident Ian Aldridge, who lives in Robert Street, said he stood to be affected more than most by the development. "But I see that for the greater good of Williton I should be prepared to make a personal sacrifice." Mr Aldridge said the facility for a village the size of Williton was long overdue. But opponents questioned the scale of the development on what is a prized open space in the heart of the village. The Memorial Ground was described as Williton's "green lung" - land designated as a memorial to local men who died in World War One and not an area to be regarded as a potential building site. Resident Jim Duncan predicted there would be chaos if emergency vehicles needed to get onto the ground and also raised concerns that the purchase of land needed to widen the entrance had yet to be agreed. And John Holden claimed the proposal was simply a "village hall by the back door". He said the original plans would have seen the replacement of the existing changing rooms on the site of the tractor shed. "But this is a huge building and the call for on-site parking will be inevitable."