Harrogate Grammar School has submitted plans to light up its games pitch until 8pm in a bid to boost youth sport in the wake of the pandemic.

An original application in 2015 restricts the use of floodlighting after 6pm.

However, the school said this year several youth teams had struggled to play, particularly during the winter months when ground conditions in town were poor.

In a letter to neighbouring residents asking for their support, business and operations manager, Tom Stephen, wrote:

“The last two years of the pandemic have been challenging for us all, not least in the impact of school closures and restrictions on team sports for young people.

“We want to support the growth of youth sport and one way in which we hope to achieve this is by increasing the access of our facilities.”

He added that in the context of increased demand and in an effort create opportunities for young people to recover from the pandemic, the school felt it was the right time to apply for the extension.

It would see the pitch open from 9am until 8pm Monday to Friday.

He said:

“We will only allow the astro to be used by youth coached teams in order to support our aim of the growth of youth sport.”

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Harrogate Borough Council environmental health officer, Gemma Demaline, said she had no objections to the plans.

She said:

“As the lights are likely to be required during the darker months when surrounding noise sensitive residents are likely to be inside their properties, the impact from noise from the proposed use of the site will be limited.”

Earlier this month St Aidan’s Church of England High School revealed its new floodlit artificial sports pitch was set to open from 6pm to 8pm for community clubs to use.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Grammar School said:

“We want to support the growth of youth sport after the restrictions the pandemic put on team sports and we hope to achieve this by increasing the access of our facilities.”

Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee will make a decision on the application at a later date.

St Aidan’s Church of England High School’s new floodlit artificial sports pitch is set to open from 6pm to 8pm for community clubs to use.

The school has launched a consultation on when the FIFA-approved pitch can be hired, as well as the type of floodlights that will be built.

Last January councillors gave the school permission to build the pitch, despite the council’s own report recommending refusal.

Some nearby residents had complained that the 15-metre high floodlights would cause light pollution to their homes and the Stray.

However, the application attracted a huge amount of support from Harrogate residents, with some hailing “people power” for helping to influence councillors’ decisions.

Hours of use

The consultation document proposes the pitch will be available from 6pm to 8pm from Monday to Friday.

On Saturdays, it would be available for hire from 9am to 5pm and on Sundays from 10am to 2pm.

During school holidays, the pitch would be available to be booked from 9am to 4pm.

It says prices will be similar to other council-run facilities in the Harrogate area.

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The school will employ its own staff to manage and operate the facility and a committee will review its hours of use every year.

There has been a lack of 3G pitches available in Harrogate since Harrogate Town were forced to remove theirs following promotion to the English Football League two years ago.