A huge investment in Neston had the green light from councillors.

The borough’s strategic planning committee approved £25m plans to replace Neston High School under a government programme to deal with schools most in need of urgent repair.

The new three-storey school, due to be completed in 2018, will be built on an existing artificial grass pitch.

Most of the present school buildings will continue in use until the new school can be occupied.

They will then be demolished to make way for new and replacement outdoor sports facilities and parking.

Overall the new Neston High will provide for 1,750 students, up from 1,689, 400 of whom will be sixth formers.

A small increase in the 177 full-time equivalent staff is also provided for.

The overall size of the school will be reduced and the adjoining Neston Recreation Centre will continue to provide sports accommodation for the high school as well as for the community.

Neighbours are concerned a new floodlit all weather pitch will be closer bringing noise nearer to their homes. They claim the existing pitch leads to noise up to 10pm and at weekends and attracts anti-social behaviour when it is not in use.

Sport England has asked for a scheme to ensure sport which takes place on the artificial pitch can continue elsewhere pending its replacement. Neston Civic Society has described the new build as ‘a huge investment in Neston’.

The society argues the contractor should be encouraged to use local labour. A parent commented he was ‘very impressed’ with the design.

Planners accept there will be ‘significant’ construction and demolition traffic which cannot be avoided. A construction traffic management plan using Chester High Road will be required. Hours of construction are also to be discussed.

Cllr Angela Claydon (Lab, St Paul’s), who criticised a lack of detail on the plans, believed parking was of particular importance and felt it should be entirely separate from students.

Her other main concern was the proposed new artificial pitch which she believed should close at 9pm.

A report referred to the fact that noise measures would offer ‘little or no mitigation’ to first-floor rooms of nearby homes and those residents with young families who wished to put their children to bed before 10pm may find, particularly in the summer when windows were open, that sleep was not possible until use of the pitches ceased.

Cllr Claydon pointed out most of the houses ‘probably have got young families’ and said she was ‘aghast’. “That is no good if you have a four-year-old, that is really appalling,” she said.

Principal planning officer Paul Friston said there would be a separate pedestrian access at the new school and car parking and the main school entrance would not be as close as they were at present.

There would also be designated pedestrian routes. For the majority of the time it may be possible to book pitches away from the residential properties.

Demand reduced after 9pm and he understood that closing at that time could raise issues with the funding and the requirements of Sport England.

After Cllr Pat Merrick (Lab, Rossmore) had described the development as ‘a fantastic opportunity’ notwithstanding the concerns, councillors gave their unanimous approval.