Plans for new school sports facilities near Peterborough homes

The two new sports pitches and running track on land at Thorpe Lea Meadows would benefit pupils at West Town Primary Academy.

The school moved into its new £6 million building built on the site of the former Peterborough District Hospital in Thorpe Road in November 2016.

The plans have met a mixed response according to Cllr Mohammed Jamil who represents residents in the area.

He said: “I recently attended a residents’ AGM with a lot of people who live around the area.

“There are mixed feelings. I understand that those who live opposite the field are extremely worried about the extra footfall going through. However, I think the design the council has come up with is one that works for everyone.

“It would be fenced off for the children to use it. It won’t be state of the art but there will be a very good school field for children to use.

“There will be some loss of amenity to the public but the other side of the school field will be open for the public to use. I’m broadly in favour of the application.”

The application from the council’s education department mentions “overlooking and noise considerations of the existing residential houses” as a concern.

Close proximity to the River Nene, which could be a flooding risk, and needles found in nearby woodland are other constraints, as is the journey the pupils would have to take to the fields, starting from Thorpe Road.

However, the council states that facilities created on the site could be used by the local community when not used by the school and that there is scope for further recreational and education development.

The proposals for the field consist of sports pitches for under 11s and under 12s, as well as a running track, mobile classrooms and changing facilities.

The field already has goalposts on it and a public footpath runs through the centre of it.

Dog walkers also use the field which is currently surrounded by mature trees, screening it from the nearby houses.

If the application is approved fencing would also be installed which would prevent dogs from encroaching onto the area when the children are there.

West Town Primary can currently cater for up to 630 pupils. Residents can send in their views on the application to the council.