Thumbs up for club plan
Proposal to demolish stores and build new disabled and female changing facilities
A PROPOSED development at a Moorlands cricket ground has been given the green light by planners.
Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has approved the proposed demolition of existing stores and the construction of garage and bar store along with disabled and female changing facilities at Ashcombe Park Cricket Club, Basford Bridge Lane, Cheddleton.
As first submitted, this was to be a concrete block building with monopitch sheet roof presenting its higher elevation towards the west and the more public views.
Amended plans following discussions proposed metal profiled cladding in juniper green to the exterior of the walls and profiled metal roof cladding in grey.
The higher wall elevation is now orientated inwards towards the existing cluster of development.
The proposal involves removal of some minor store buildings and is submitted on the site of a larger 2018-approved scheme which the club is no longer intending or able to implement.”
During consultation, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council Sports and Leisure (service commissioning), said: “The proposal of new additional changing rooms would provide an excellent opportunity to increase the levels of physical activity in the area particularly in two targeted groups, female and disabled and also increase the available capacity for the club.
“The project lends itself to further possibilities for the club to provide wider opportunities, which would not only be more attractive to local residents but could also create more interest for use by local schools and community groups.
“The wider engagement programme supports our own strategic aims offering more multisport use and increasing participation and physical activity.”
Cheddleton Parish Council raised no objection to the proposed development.
In a decision report, case officer Arne Swithenbank, said: “The proposal building has a plan area of 63m2 but would replace a single garage and adjacent larger store which combined have a plan area of c.50m2.
“The building would be seen against the backdrop of the larger brick pavilion buildings.
It can also be noted that the 2018 approval was for a building of the same 63m2 plan area but with pitched roof and would have had a height of 4.4m. Although that permission has now lapsed it was approved under the same National Planning Policy Framework policy wording.
“With these points noted it can reasonably be concluded that the current scheme would not have an appreciably greater impact on openness than the existing development and would therefore preserve the openness of the Green Belt. With its reduced mono-pitch roof form, the impacts would be significantly less than in the lapsed 2018 scheme.
“In terms of character and appearance, by proposing a single building in a cohesive design, the scheme can readily be regarded as an improvement on the existing arrangements which have no doubt arisen piecemeal over time and been subject to funding limits.
“The proposal scheme is utilitarian but not out of place in a countryside setting. It is felt that the sheet clad finish is significantly preferable to concrete block work which can quickly seem drab.”