Harrogate school wins approval for 3G sports pitch despite neighbour complaints over light and noise

Harrogate Borough Council's planning department said the proposals for St. Aidan's High School should be rejected as it would create "intrusive and annoying" levels of light and noise for residents living nearby.

However, members of the council's planning committee today voted to approve the plans, with one councillor saying not providing new sports facilities at the school would be "letting young people down".

"This is a way of providing to our young people," councillor Pat Marsh said, "we owe it to them to provide this, not just for the school but for the wider community.

"It is a difficult one because we have neighbours who are going to experience a change but we have to balance that off.

"I think we have balanced it off correctly for all concerned and hope we can provide our young people with space that they can plan in all year round."

The school submitted revised proposals for the sports pitch in June after warning its existing grass field had become "unusable" due to flooding.

It said football matches and PE lessons have been consistently cancelled because of the problem and that there has been a surge in demand amongst sports clubs for year-round facilities.

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Joanne Wicks, chair of governors at St Aidan’s High School, told councillors: "The pitch is first and foremost for the school and we do also want to offer some time to the community because there is a desperate shortage of 3G space.

"There are so many clubs that have nowhere to go and we do feel we want to offer the community something."

More than 40 residents living nearby had objected to the proposals online with complaints that the 15-metre high floodlights would cause light pollution to their homes and be seen from the Stray.

One objector said the light and noise from the pitch would be "intolerable".

A council report also said while the facility would bring clear benefits to the school and sports clubs, there would be a "significant adverse impact" on locals and that noise from it would be "annoying".

However, Mrs Wicks said sound pollution would not be an issue. She said: "The sounds levels already exist as there is no change of use here - it is already a football pitch and will be a football pitch in the future.

She also argued: "Had the playing fields been in good condition through the winter months there would have been no limit on the hours of use."

The agreed hours of use for the sports pitch will be 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm on Saturdays and 10am to 2pm on Sundays.

Councillors voted nine in favour with one abstention to defer the application to the chief planner for final approval once details on drainage and light pollution are agreed with the school.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter