Beith Juniors: Plans lodged for Bellsdale Park floodlights

Plans have been submitted to erect floodlights at Bellsdale Park - a key step towards the club progressing up the Scottish football pyramid.

Last season the club won the West of Scotland Football League Premier Division - but the club doesn't currently hold an SFA licence, partly because of the lack of floodlights at Bellsdale.

The lack of a licence meant the club was ineligible to compete in the play-off for promotion to the Lowland League.

READ MORE: Beith Juniors will NOT be able to enter Lowland League play-off

The club hoped that with the help of their landlords, North Ayrshire Council (NAC), and the Beith Trust, they could secure a community asset transfer for Bellsdale which would pave the way for ground improvements.

But in February it was discovered that the owners of Bellsdale were not the council, but a historical trust set up in 1920 - and that the last living member of that trust had died in 1971.

However, it appears that a solution has now been reached, with the Beith Trust applying to NAC for permission to install floodlights at the ground.

The application seeks permission for four floodlight columns, one in each corner of the ground.

The proposals are currently pending consideration - though if approved could be a major step towards the club obtaining their SFA licence.

Given their current league form, approval would be a huge step towards manager Chris Strain delivering his promise that the club will be able to compete for promotion to the Lowland League.

Beith currently lie in fourth place in the Premier Division, nine points behind Clydebank, Benburb and Darvel - but their progress in various cup competitions in the first half of the season means Strain's side have played fewer league games than any other team in the WoSFL's top flight

The planning application is available to view in full via the council's online planning portal searching for reference 23/00795/PP.