AN appeal hearing will be held in March to decide the future of the Camrose football stadium.

The Camrose stadium was the home of Basingstoke Town Football Club for over 70 years until it was evicted by its former owner and Chairman, Rafi Razzak.

Rafi Razzak and his company Basron spent the best part of two and a half years refining the application to turn the Camrose ground into an 85-bed housing estate and a care home.

SEE MORE: Camrose stadium should be turned into a 'top-class' council-owned football ground protesters say

But after a dramatic debate on September 23, 2020, both applications were rejected because the development did not meet the council’s CN8 policy - that the loss of the Camrose stadium outweighed the benefits of the development.

Rafi Razzak has since appealed the council’s decision and the fate of the stadium hangs in the balance.

The football club said a virtual appeal hearing will be held on March 22 and is expected to last up to three days.

David Graham, who lives in Basingstoke, is just one of the dedicated football fans protesting to the save the much-loved stadium and formed a group with several others.

He said: “In my opinion, if there is any logic his appeal should fail 100 per cent because he really has no bases for the appeal. He does not have a leg to stand on to be honest and I think we will absolutely demolish them.

“We understand the hearing is going to be held in Basingstoke, which is great news.”

A planning hearing is a process led by an inspector. It involves the submission of written evidence by the main parties, which is followed by an informal hearing once all written submissions have been received.

David added: “The day before the main hearing I understand they are going to have another asset of community value appeal brought by the football club against Basron to get the ground listed as an asset of community value, to me it is pretty obvious it should be.”

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A spokesperson for Basingstoke and Deane Council, said: “Our understanding from the Planning Inspectorate is that an inquiry on this planning appeal will be held virtually from Tuesday 22 March.”

An exact date for a final decision has not been announced but it's expected to be not long after the hearing.

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