THE drive for better sports facilities in Tavistock has been stalled after two organisations failed to sign up to a 'blueprint' report in time for a West Devon Council deadline.

Crowndale Recreation Association and Tamar Valley Thistles Football Club told the council they wanted to see several changes before signing up to a 'strategic overview' of sports facilities in Crowndale Valley.

The borough says all sports organisations in the area should accept the principle of the consultants report which will be used to back a Lottery bid for an all-weather pitch in the grounds of Tavistock College.

John Warne, chairman of Crowndale Recreation Association, said to sign up to the document as it stood was 'fraught with danger'.

He said: 'We want all the options fully thought through and included in the document, so there are no more delays in the future.

'At the end of the day we don't want to go off half-cocked, there is no point having an expensive exercise and not thinking it through.

'It is the view of the CRA and I know Thistles and Jets, that the principles are right but we need to establish clarity on the way forward.'

Steve Groombridge, Thistles chairman, said the club did not want to sign up to anything which might jeopardise their use of six acres of land presently earmarked for an athletics track, should the athletics club not require it in the future.

The club also wanted to know the exact number of soccer pitches identified in the valley.

Mr Groombridge said: 'I would like to think that we could all move on together — obviously we have to come to some sort of agreement here.'

But Phil Edwards, chairman of Tavistock Hockey Club which has signed up to the report, said it was 'unhelpful' that CRA and the Thistles were unable to endorse the principles.

He said: 'In the current climate of bids, it is imperative the local community is shown to be in a position to warrant further facilities and, amongst other criteria, the sports community should be seen to be working together.

'This action is giving a message the sports community is still unable to come together for the betterment of facilities for Tavistock.

'The losers yet again are the clubs and their members who need these facilities now.'

Robin Musgrave, chairman of Tavistock Athletics Club, said: 'The athletics club has signed up to this report, even though we have enormous reservations — we think it is even more important to show the commitment that is being asked for.

'We have actually got very little to gain out of this, but we believe there ought to be movement.'

Mr Musgrave said many people felt the only way forward was to agree to the basic idea and consider the details at a later date.

'This process was started mid-December — clearly there is now going to be another delay and that is what I am really wanting to avoid — we have just got to get a move on,' he said.

A meeting this week between clubs and council officers to discuss the report further had to be postponed because all parties had not signed up to the report by the deadline of May 31.

David Inman, borough deputy chief executive, said he was 'optimistic' that an agreed document to assist everybody in taking their particular projects forward could be produced in the next couple of weeks.

'At the end of the day we want to deliver the demands of the users,' he said.