HOUNSLOW Council has retaken control of Green Lane sports ground in order to reopen the pitches as soon as possible.

Council officers secured the premises last week and have begun restoring the damaged football pitches, with the aim of making them playable by the start of the football season in August.

The Council plans to hold engagement events over the summer to hear how clubs, other users and the local community think the site and facilities should be run.

Last month the Council announced its intention to terminate the lease with Hounslow Sports Club following breaches of their lease agreement.

These included failing to adequately maintain the pitches and continuing frictions with local groups.

It followed a breakdown in relationships between individuals and organisations managing and using the site, which saw the pitches fall into disrepair meaning they didn't reopen after restrictions eased in March.

Leader of Hounslow Council, Steve Curran, said: "It is deeply regrettable that despite our best efforts to negotiate an amicable solution we have been unable to agree a lease termination and handover process within a reasonable timescale.

"We have no confidence that Hounslow Sports Club are making necessary arrangements to properly manage the grounds, and we are simply unwilling to allow such a valuable community asset to languish in an unusable state while there is such great demand from the community for its use.

"Our priority has always been the local community and getting grass-roots football and other sporting activities back on the pitch.

"Under our stewardship this will be by the start of the season in August.

"We will engage with local teams and other users within the local community so they can help shape how the site and facilities will be run.

"The Council has worked hard to find ways to resolve issues and bring the pitches back into use, including setting up a steering group with all parties involved, including the FA.

"Unfortunately, fundamental issues remain and we see little prospects of them being resolved.

"We must now all look to the future, to what benefits our residents and sports teams, and move on from the past."