The future of a football club looks to be safe after the council ruled out developing its site for housing.

Three Rivers District Council took Oxhey Jets Boundary Stadium in South Oxhey out of its local plan during a meeting on Monday.

Hertfordshire County Council had put forward the site for development in 2017 risking the future of the club's stadium, clubhouse, and training pitch.

Liberal Democrat council leader Cllr Sara Bedford said she promised Oxhey Jets founder John Elliott she would do all she could to save the site from being developed.

On hearing the news the club would be saved, Mr Elliott said: "Cllr Bedford has kept in touch with me over the past year and has been a regular visitor to the Boundary Stadium. I never doubted her sincerity and determination to save the club and I thank her for all she has done to help keep the club in its South Oxhey home."

After the site was officially taken out of the plan, Cllr Bedford said: "A year ago, I promised John Elliott I would do everything I could to keep the club on its current site. At first it seemed almost impossible, but I have continued to work with our officers to save the site from potential development and have now delivered on that promise.

"I have visited the Jets on a number of occasions and know what a huge part the club plays in the local community. The Jets are so much more than a football club. They are the heart of South Oxhey, the location for so many sporting activities, social events and charity fundraisers.

"I hope the Jets can move forward to a bright future."

South Oxhey ward councillor and Labour group leader Stephen Cox, said: "It would have been absolute disaster to see the Oxhey Jets leave so I am very pleased to see this. The council has narrowly missed scoring an own goal.

"We handed out 10,000 leaflets warning the people of South Oxhey about the threat to the Jets. I'm glad our pressure has helped get the right result."

Watford Observer:

South Oxhey ward councillors Stephen and Joan King visited Boundary Stadium this week

After Three Rivers said that it would not allocate the site for residential development, the county council agreed to redraw the site boundaries, so that the two pitches, clubhouse and parking were retained for use for sport.