South Tyneside Council's planning committee has approved plans to convert part of the Epinay School site in South Shields into new cricket and rugby facilities for a local sports club.
The scheme includes two cricket squares, three rugby pitches and a pavilion with hospitality facilities. The council will construct the grounds and lease them to Westoe Cricket & Rugby Club.
Club to use site mainly at evenings and weekends
A council report noted that the sports club will be "looking to use the site primarily in the evenings and at weekends as additional facilities provision to their existing club facilities on their site at Dean Road in Westoe."
Six public objections were raised against the proposals, with residents voicing concerns over drainage, increased traffic from players, spectators, parents and visitors, as well as the potential loss of open green space and noise disruption.
However, three representations in support described the plans as a "great addition to the local area" which would benefit young people and help tackle obesity.
Approval after debate at town hall meeting
Councillors debated the proposals at a meeting on October 20 at South Shields Town Hall, where the application was passed by a majority vote. While questions were raised regarding the development's connections to the South Tyneside College relocation project, committee members were advised that the application for part of the Epinay School site needed to be assessed purely on its own merits.
Council planning officers, who recommended the scheme for approval, stated it was satisfactory in terms of the principle of development, green belt, visual and residential amenity, highway safety and parking, biodiversity, drainage and land contamination matters.
A council report stated: "The lawful planning use of the site is school playing fields although the Epinay School do not currently use the pitches for sports activities.
"The site would be operated separately from the school by Westoe Cricket & Rugby Club and the only shared facilities would be the school car park (outwith the application site) on Nevinson Avenue which would be used by the club as well as the school, and this would be fenced off."
Facilities to compensate for college pitch loss
The proposed facilities will compensate in part for the loss of playing pitches on the South Tyneside College Westoe campus site.
"They are part of a package of sports facilities associated with the Section 106 agreement which runs alongside the planning permission for housing development at the college site, and where this is also linked to the college's relocation into their new campus in South Shields town centre."
It was also confirmed that a "community use agreement" would be attached to the new sports facilities at the Epinay School site. For further details on the proposal, visit South Tyneside Council's planning portal website and search for reference 250469.
