Dumbarton United and Dumbarton Riverside FC had petitioned West Dunbartonshire Council recently in a bid to be allowed to use 3G pitches at Dumbarton Academy.

The petition — which garnered almost 500 signatures — was handed in to Garshake headquarters by members from both teams.

The young footballers want to use the astro pitches at Dumbarton Academy on weekday evenings and at weekends.

The teams believe the pitches could be a great asset to the community if the clubs, and others, could book them for training and matches.

Dumbarton United has held previous bookings on the original pitch at Dumbarton Academy, before the new school was built. The team say it makes sense that the planning position should be reviewed and changed to allow the community use to return to the new astro pitches.

Dumbarton United AFC has over 270 players from the community and many have to use training facilities out with the Dumbarton area.

The council’s application at present would limit use to supervised groups of school aged children during school holidays, Monday to Friday, 9.30am-3.30pm, for activities organised by the sports development section of West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust.

A previous bid to have the condition on the planning consent changed to allow the West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust to use the ptich during summer holidays last year was granted, on a temporary basis, and no complaints were received during this period.

The council has received one letter supporting the plans to allow kids to use and nine against.

The arguments of those opposing the scheme include that the application ‘is not precise or enforceable’ and that the consultation process was ‘compromised’.

One other objection states: “There should be no additional use of the pitches during the school holidays as the holidays offer residents a respite from day to day disturbance from the school.” The council’s head of infrastructure and regeneration, Richard Cairns, said in a report due to go before the planning committee next week: “It is considered that the use by supervised groups of school-aged children during the summer holidays between normal school hours would not have a significant impact on residents and would be an appropriate use of the facilities.” A Dumbarton United spokesman said: "Currently Dumbarton United and Dumbarton Riverside are engaging with the council over the issue of the Dumbarton Academy pitches. This move of opening the pitches only for West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust, is a step in the right direction. As we have always stated, these pitches should not just be open for football or for our club, but should be open for use to the wider community.

"We hope through the current discussions that we are having with the council there will hopefully be a resolve to have the pitches open more regularly. "

Mr Cairns recommends councillors approve the change at a meeting on Wednesday, June 24.