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05
Jan 2021
St Aidan's floodlit pitch plans approved
Councillors have approved St Aidan's secondary school's plans to build a floodlit artificial sports pitch, subject to conditions on lighting and flooding.
A report from HBC officer Jeremy Constable had recommended the proposals for refusal due to its impact on the surrounding area.
However, councillors on Harrogate Borough Council's planning committee voted by a near unanimous decision this afternoon (nine in favour with one abstention) to defer to the chief planner for approval once new reports on drainage and light pollution are drawn up.
Nearby residents in Harrogate had complained the 15-metre high floodlights would cause light pollution to their homes and the Stray. However, Jeremy Constable, who wrote the council report, conceded at the meeting that light pollution would be minimal.
He said:
St Aidan's chair of governers Jo Wicks spoke and said the pitch is "first and foremost" for the school but will also be used by the community in the evenings because of a "desperate shortage" of 3G pitches in the town.
Its hours of use will be 9am-8pm, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm on Saturdays and 10am-2pm on Sundays.
Read more:
Surge of public support for St Aidan’s floodlit pitch plans
St Aidan’s floodlit pitch plans set for refusal
Last week on HBC’s planning portal, the application had 40 objections and three in support. However, since the Stray Ferret story about the plans was published on Tuesday, there has been a surge of comments in favour, with 123 comments in support and 41 objections.
Several councillors spoke up in favour of the plans at the meeting, including Cllr Pat Marsh ,who said the council "would be letting our young people down" if they refused the plans.
She added:
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