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24
Aug
Plans for multi-use games area near Knaresborough
A local parish council has tabled plans to create a multi-use games area near Knaresborough.
Scotton and Lingerfield parish council put plans to North Yorkshire Council to develop the multi-use games area at Percy Fields – an existing open space with a children’s play area and grassed sports pitches.
A multi-use games area (MUGA) is a flexible facility designed to incorporate different sports on one pitch.
The proposed Scotton MUGA, which would measure 35m x 30m, would include two tennis nets, two sets of netball goals and two sets of basketball goals.
The ground would be marked out to play the sports, as well as football, should plans be approved.
The surface would be a “specially formulated porous bituminous macadam”, plans say, and the pitch would be enclosed by a three-metre wire fence with goal recesses.
Plans add:
Following Sports England design guidance, it is proposed to install four 8-metre lighting columns on the perimeter of the MUGA with a maximum 400 lux lighting level that are expected to be positioned so as to result in minimal light overspill outside the pitch.
The existing play equipment would be moved southwards to facilitate the MUGA and an embankment at the site will be removed in order to create a level playing surface, planning documents say.
The current car park and vehicular access at the site would be retained, but a new footpath would be created for pedestrian access.
The application adds:
The installation of a multi-use games area (MUGA) with associated flood lighting, fencing and hardstanding represents an acceptable addition to the Percy Fields site.
Due to its siting, scale and design, the proposed MUGA is appropriate to the character and appearance of the area, where it should not have a detrimental visual impact because of its location within an established sports and recreation area that is already visually contained by existing tree belts.
The proposal is not considered to have an adverse impact on residential amenity currently enjoyed by nearby properties.
The MUGA will enhance facilities currently available to the community, plans say, adding it will encourage people of all ages to play different sports all year round.
“This supports the government’s aim to promote healthy communities and opportunities for social interaction through the provision of safe and accessible sports facilities”, they add.
Scotton residents have been raising money to fund the MUGA over the last three years, including at Scotton Feast and the village bonfire.
North Yorkshire Council will issue a verdict on the application at a later date.
Tockwith Sportsfield Trust was last year granted approval to convert an existing tennis court in the village into a multi-use games pitch.
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