MORE match day parking will be available to Bluebirds supporters after Chippenham Town Football Club’s bid to secure a small strip of land next to the club was approved.

The football club, which is welcoming more fans to its club each game following their promotion to the National League South, were delighted to discover that Wiltshire Council had approved their plans for a small car park with 40 spaces on a triangular piece on land on the Donkey Fields.

The car park, which is currently subject to two additional planning conditions, will help to alleviate congestion on Bristol Road and the surrounding areas, as well as contribute to the club’s development plans.

Club chairman Neil Blackmore said: “We were aware that consent had been given recently for the change of use of a small area of adjacent land to enable the extension of our existing club car park and we have now been advised that consent has also been given for our actual plans for the additional spaces.

“There are one or two points that still need to be ironed out with Wiltshire Council such as tree work and lighting before work can begin and I hope we can do that quickly so that we can move on to putting a programme of work together that fits around our schedule.

“We regard this as a crucial step in the football club’s development and I am immensely grateful for the work, over many months, that has been undertaken by all the parties involved to get us to this point.”

The Bluebirds chairman also offered his reassurances to dogwalkers who had concerns about the plans.

“I think there was a bit of confusion when we first announced the plans but we are only taking the triangular piece of land attached to our grounds,” he added.

“I hope that when the work is complete, the dog walkers will be content and continue to walk there for years to come.”