Residents object to school's games area plan
The school is hoping to build a new multi-use games area
- Published
A primary school could be given permission to build a multi-use games area (MUGA) despite 89 letters of objection.
The development at Ecclesall Primary School in Sheffield would replace existing school playing fields, which developers said could not be used in wet weather.
Critics have labelled the plans as "disproportionate" to the school's needs and raised concerns over wildlife, flooding and traffic.
Sheffield City Council’s planning and highways committee will discuss the proposal next week.
Documents submitted, external by developers state that the school, which is situated in a housing area, struggled to use the playing fields in wet weather due to their "sloping nature".
It said the MUGA would provide a "vastly improved" all-year-round playing surface for pupils.
This would be in addition to a small MUGA which was installed to the north-east of the school as part of expansion plans over the last ten years.
The new proposal has received 105 letters of representation of which 89 are objections, 12 are in support and four are of neutral tone, the Local Democracy Service said.
Neighbours objecting to the plans said "frequent" expansion of the school had greatly changed the character and appearance of their homes and gardens.
Some noted that the MUGA could lead to increased noise pollution for residents due to panelling and hard surfaces as well as worsened parking and traffic conditions.
One objector wrote: "It’s very much an over-developed site. Every few months a new part of the grounds is being built on. This application seems to follow this trend."
Document stated that the school “has been extended and altered over the last decade in order to enable an increase in pupil numbers to approximately 600”.
The application originally sought permission for a MUGA and a 100-metre running track, however the latter has been removed from the scheme.
The proposal has been recommended for approval.
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