HUDDERSFIELD Giants are severing links with Fartown, ending 126 years of rugby at the site.

The club will move its under 21 and under 18 matches to another site after the collapse of a renovation project.

Club officials are looking at the YMCA ground at Salendine Nook and Huddersfield RU's ground at Lockwood Park as options.

A £500,000 project to build a 300 seat stand, refurbish pitches, install new lighting and improve to the supporters' clubhouse was planned by the Fartown Development Company.

The FDC was set up in 2001 by Huddersfield Giants chief executive Ralph Rimmer, Giants performance manager Stuart Sheard, finance consultant Paul Bailey, Giants associate director Keith Burhouse, secretary Trevor Kaye and project consultant Neil Shuttleworth.

The company worked for three years on plans to transform the Spaines Road ground into a centre of excellence for rugby and a facility for the Fartown community.

A lease for the land had been arranged with Kirklees Council and the FDC had secured most of the funding for the project.

However, the dream was shattered by two years of wrangles over planning permission.

The delays in gaining permission meant the ground has fallen into disrepair and the FDC cannot find the cash to bring it up to standard to start the project.

The Rugby Football League told the Giants the ground was unfit for use - prompting their search for a new location.

Mr Rimmer said: "It is a devastating decision to make, as we had huge hopes for this project. It is galling.

"The local authority has done its best and supported the project. But the site is almost beyond repair, the project costs have risen and we have not got the money.

"Fartown has been the home of Huddersfield rugby league for over a century. It is extremely upsetting."

John Bailey, owner of the Pavilion function room next to the rugby ground, was the objector involved in the planning problems.

He said he always supported the project in principle, but was afraid it would affect access to his business.

Mr Bailey said: "Nobody seemed to wish to allay my fears so I wrote to planning saying in principle I have no objection, but I have to ask how it could affect my business.

"There is a major personality conflict, that is what it boils down to."

Mr Bailey was chairman of Huddersfield Rugby League Club from 1983 to 1989.

He said the collapse of the development was a shame.

He said: "I'm quite sure many people are disappointed. Fartown historically is a rugby ground. It would have been a development instead of delapidation, which could only have been good."

The Giants hope to find a new site where they can carry out the project as planned.