England star Adam Lallana illegally builds £40,000 football pitch in his back garden for 'knockabouts' with his family

• Southampton player planned to use pitch for 'knockabouts' with his family
• But the construction has been built without proper planning permission
• The midfielder must now apply for retrospective planning permission
• If that fails he might have to demolish pitch - which is also a basketball court
• Father-of-one Lallana, 26, has lived at £1.5m Hampshire house for two years

By Amanda Williams

England footballer Adam Lallana faces having to knock down a £40,000 football pitch built in his back garden, because it doesn't have proper planning permission.
The Premiership star, who is set to play for England in the World Cup in Brazil, commissioned the large area to be built in the garden of his home in Ringwood, Hampshire.
The 26-year-old Southampton midfielder, who married his long-term partner Emily Jubb in December, had planned to use the astro turf pitch for ‘kickabouts’ with his young family. The couple have a son Arthur, who is almost two years old.

Knockabout: England footballer Adam Lallana faces having to knock down this £40,000 football pitch built in his back garden because it doesn't have proper planning permission

Complaints: The pitch also doubles as a basketball court but neighbours have complained about the height

But the fenced off area - which also doubles as a basketball court - has been developed without proper planning permission.
One of the footballer's neighbours has since complained to their local council and MP about the scale of the development which prompted planning officials to look into the matter.

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They discovered the height of the multi-use games area, in particular the basketball hoops and back boards, was beyond permitted development rules and required planning consent.
Southampton FC player Mr Lallana will either have to adjust it or submit a retrospective application for consideration. If this fails, under planning law, he could be ordered to demolish the construction.
Mr Lallana, who is currently in Miami with the England squad, is said to be considering the latter option.
The row started after he built a separate wooden play area in his garden with permission.
But then the football pitch which is similar to fenced-off games areas seen in most towns and which cost between £40,000 to £60,000 to build, was added.

Family: Lallana, 26, is married his long-term partner Emily Jubb (pictured). He planned to use the astro turf pitch for 'kickabouts' with his young family. The pitch cost between £40,000 and £60,000 to build

The footballer is pictured with his young son Arthur. He is currently in Miami with the England squad

Brian Riley, who lives next door to Mr Lallana’s £1.5 million five bedroom house said he is concerned about the prospect of noisy sports matches.
Mr Riley, who has lived with his wife Constance at their home for more than 20 years, said: 'We didn’t object to this application, why would we? We understand kids need somewhere to play.
'But then we saw builders and welders arrive on site and we couldn’t work out what was going on. We saw this sports pitch being built and we just couldn’t believe it.
'The council enforcement officer told us it was more in-keeping with a council play park than a garden in a special character area, which this area is.
'He was given 28 days to submit a planning application but that deadline has gone.
'He’s done nothing and the council haven’t taken any further action.'
Giles Moir, development management manager at East Dorset District Council, said: 'Every applicant is dealt with in exactly the same way.

Neighbour: Brian Riley, who lives next door to Mr Lallana’s £1.5 million five bedroom house said he is concerned about the prospect of noisy sports matches

'Our enforcement team have been in contact with the agent and we anticipate an application for the multi-use games area very soon.'
Mike Hirsh, a planning consultant acting for Mr Lallana, said: 'The area of hard standing to be used as a knock-about pitch has been agreed by East Dorset District Council as ‘permitted development’ and does not need planning permission.
'The majority of the fencing is two metres or less in height and also does not need planning permission.
'Over the small goal areas fencing has been raised to support a basketball hoop. Technically that part needs planning permission as it is more than two metres in height.
'My client went around to the neighbour and apologised and has asked a landscape architect to mitigate the visual impact of the hoop.'
Mr Lallana moved into his current house two years ago after failing with plans to extend his former home in Highcliffe, near Christchurch.
But the footballer, who is said to earn £50,000 a week, is likely to be moving again soon as he is widely tipped to join Liverpool FC this summer in a deal worth £25 million.