Trafford Council refuses Sale Sports Club's all-weather pitch plan

The plan submitted by Sale Sports Club sought to build the pitch on the field off Clarendon Crescent, alongside three-metre fencing and eight 15-metre floodlights.

It was primarily intended for hockey, but also for other sports such as football, netball and tennis.

Additionally, Sale Sports Club wanted to build picnic and play areas and to improve the existing grass pitches on the site.

The plan drew hundreds of letters both in support and in opposition after its submission to the council in September 2020.

A planning committee considered the plan earlier this month and recommended it for refusal, which was confirmed in a final decision last week.

Opponents to the plan included council leader Andrew Western and Barry Brotherton, who are both councillors for Priory Ward in which Clarendon Field is found.

A letter from November 2020 signed by the councillors expressed a number of concerns about the plan, which were shared by hundreds of others and echoed in the planning committee's final decision.

It said: "The general public has always had unrestricted access to these fields for both formal and informal exercise and the fields are well-used and appreciated by local people.

"The proposal will fence off a significant part of the site and this will then only be available to members of the sports club.

"The three-metre fencing proposed for the pitch is unsightly and out of character in an open field.

"The proposed eight floodlighting columns, each 15 metres high, are likely to cause a light pollution nuisance to neighbours and are also out of character in an open field setting.

"The lighting is designed to enable the site to be used over a longer period each day and this is likely to cause increased noise nuisance to neighbours.

"The more intensive use of the field will generate more local traffic and exacerbate parking problems."

Supporters of the plan cited a lack of facilities in the area and its impact on health and wellbeing, but the planning committee decided the potential harm of the plan outweighed its potential benefit.

It also noted none of the support for the plan came from people living in houses backing on to Clarendon Field, with more than 40 letters of support coming from people living outside Sale entirely.

A map showing where some of the letters of support (green) and opposition (red) came from.

Sale Sports Club is now able to appeal against the decision.

The Messenger has asked Sale Sports Club for comment.