It would have been most fitting on the day of Nev Brown's funeral if we could have been given the green light.

The omens were good, Very good, in fact. Stu Murray had been liaising with the Mayor, and the footballers, and all sides were now happy with a split of three rugby pitches and three soccer pitches on the site.

As a result on Tuesday night we were able to get SportEngland to withdraw its precautionary "Holding Objection" to our plans. We hoped it was the last obstacle to our success, especially as the planning officials were recommending that our outline application should be approved.

But there was another issue which proved to be the stumbling block. For slightly obscure planning reasons we need to get separate planning permission to use the Brinkburn Centre as a "rugby clubhouse." We already have it for Saturdays but have to apply again for Sundays for the youth section.

Of course, we have been using the centre on Sundays since the season started as we need to feed and water the youngsters and the visiting teams. The Council is aware of all this and are happy to charge us rent for Sundays... so this was another formality, or so we thought.

In Stu's absence I was due to speak on behalf of the outline application, but was disconcerted to find that I was also down to speak on behalf of the application to use the Centre on Sundays. Even more so when a nearby resident was intending to exercise her right to oppose our application.

You are probably finding this all a bit complicated and so did the Councillors, especially when they decided to hear both applications at the same time because they felt they were connected. I don't and I wish they hadn't.

The Planning Officer made a brave stab at outlining the facts on both issues in one report. But I feared the worst when one Councillor demanded to know why West wanted "two clubhouses."

We don't. We want planning permission for a temporary one on weekends while we go ahead with plans for a permanent one on the other side of the playing fields.

Then another councillor berated the Planning Officials for indicating that West had a 99 year lease on the College playing fields when he had investigated and found that we hadn't. The position is that we have reached agreement with the College governors for a 99 year lease on the site, but there's no point in drawing up legal documents until we have outline planning permission. Catch 22.

The trouble with planning meetings is that, if you are an applicant, you are not allowed to speak until asked and then you are only given 3 minutes. It is somewhat frustrating having all the answers but not being able to give them.

The upshot of all of this was that Coun. Maureen Goosey felt a site meeting was needed before a decision was made, and her amendment to this effect was carried.

The visit should happen immediately before the next Planning Committee meeting in January when we all reconvene and we will get our three minutes to put our side.

It is yet another delay and frustrating. But the Councillors are entitled to have a site visit, and the fact that the Planning Officers a recommending approval gives us confidence that we can progress.