Controversial plans for a floodlit all-weather turf pitch and multi-use games area at the University of Bath have been given the final seal of approval.
Photo © University of Bath
The application for new facilities on the eastern sports field at the Claverton Down campus was submitted to Bath & North East Somerset Council back in November 2022.
The site falls within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and two World Heritage Site designations.
The new state-of-the-art recyclable turf pitch and multi-area games (MUGA) area, which will provide a basketball and two netball courts, are planned next to the Sports Training Village.
The new development will replace two unlit grass pitches, one of which is unused as it is considered too small.
The proposal includes floodlighting to the new pitch, MUGA and existing training pitch in order to improve usability. It will give a capacity of around 78 hours a week, said to be a 50-fold increase on the current provision.
Among those who objected to the proposals were the National Trust, Avon Gardens Trust and Cotswolds National Landscape Board, as well as Bathampton, Claverton and Bathford parish councils.
Sport England also objected as the proposal would result in a net reduction of two playing pitches.
Bathwick councillor Manda Rigby had asked for the application to be ‘called in’ to be determined by B&NES Council’s planning committee as she felt it was too important and contentious to be left to a council officer.
Her objections included that it was inappropriate development and clashed with the council’s climate emergency programme.
Last summer the planning committee considered that, on balance, with the public benefits of the improved quantity and quality of sports provision, the principle of development would be acceptable.
It was noted that the floodlighting had been designed to be as ecologically and landscape-sensitive as possible.
The committee agreed that subject to conditions and a legal agreement to secure off-site biodiversity net gain (BNG), permission should be granted.
The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities was notified that the council was minded to grant planning permission, subject to the BNG agreement.
Secretary of State Michael Gove decided not to call in the application, saying he was content that it should be determined by the local planning authority.
The legal agreement was finally secured last week.
