THE chairman of Malvern's leading youth football club says he is disappointed not to be given the lease to fields at Sling Lane.

Newtown Sports Junior FC was last year promised a 25-year lease on the fields by Malvern Hills District Council. But the decision was reversed following protests by people living nearby.

Chairman Martin Twinberrow said the club needed larger grounds because it was cramped on its current site at Lower Howsell Road. It fields 19 teams aged from under-nines to under-18s.

"We were hoping to be playing at Sling Lane next season," he said.

Mr Twinberow was not enthusiastic about proposals for a group of residents, councillors and the club to talk about the field's future.

He said: "It's a great idea in theory. But in reality it'll just be another discussion group."

At a meeting on Tuesday, MHDC's executive committee voted unanimously to withdraw its offer for next season. But proposals for the 2006/7 season are likely to be looked at again in January next year.

John Denham, of the newly-formed Heart of Malvern Residents' Association, said their main objection was that if the lease was allowed, control of the field would pass from the council to an unaccountable private body.

"We're pleased that the council has not granted a lease this time, but I'm afraid that in the future we will be having exactly the same discussion again," he said.

Mr Denham said most residents would not be against the use of the site for football and other sports, but any development would have to be done sensitively.

MHDC will establish a Malvern Football Forum to look at playing field provision across the town. This will include the district, town and parish councils, football clubs and residents' groups.