Trust gets green light for new mini football pitch
ACCRINGTON Stanley Community Trust has been given approval to add a new fenced mini-football pitch with floodlights to its Higham Playing Fields site.
It has been granted planning permission for the addition at the originally controversial Thorneyholme Road complex by Hyndburn Council despite opposition from neighbours.
The objections from nearby residents include the additional noise generated by the proposed football pitch; construction vehicles operating illegally outside of working hours; traffic problems; loss of green space which was previously home to wildlife; and light pollution from the proposed floodlights.
It will be used for five-aside football games.
The planning permission has 11 conditions attached including one governing the hours of work and construction traffic and ban on using the pitch between 10pm and 8am
A planning officer’s report says: “The site is within the grounds of the Accrington Stanley Community Trust to the south east of the existing building on
Road.
“The land is currently unused space within the grounds of the sports hub.
“The proposed pitch is to be built on a small patch of grass to the south of the existing building. No wildlife will be impacted through developing this area.
“The pitch dimensions are 30 metres by 20 metres with protruding six metre by two metre areas for space for goals and equipment storage during games such as cones, bibs, balls etc.
“The fences will be four metres high with the lower one metre section featuring a solid panel construction.
“There will be four new floodlights positioned at each corner of the pitch.
“The lights will be 200 lux LEDs to be operated at the same time as the existing lights until 10pm.
“The site is in an urban area with other football pitches on site.
“The proposed develop
Thorneyholme ment is therefore in keeping with the existing uses and will result in a small unused area on site being utilised.
“The design and layout of the proposed development are therefore considered acceptable.
“The newly proposed football pitch would accommodate five versus five football games, which would only generate a minor increase in activity on the site.
“The pitch will operate to the same timetable as the existing pitches.
“Therefore, as the proposed development would only result in a minor increase in the noise levels on site.
“The additional measures proposed to deal with the additional parking requirements on a weekend are to utilise the designated coach parking areas.
“In the past four years, no coaches have arrived on site and it would be known in advance if a coach would be arriving.”
There will be four new floodlights positioned at each corner of the pitch.