FRESH plans for a £500,000 all-weather pitch at a Chester secondary school will drop controversial floodlighting and restrict after-school use to the early evening.
The scheme by Queen’s Park High School in Handbridge is intended for use by pupils and the community but led to residents’ concerns about disturbance from floodlighting and noise at night.
Now the original plan has been withdrawn so an amended ‘compromise’ scheme can be submitted.
The application was for an all-weather multi-use sports pitch on the existing playing field to the south of the main school buildings. In addition, a single-storey maintenance and toilet building was proposed next to the school gym.
School spokesman Chris Clayton confirmed new plans would be lodged ‘very soon’.
He said: “After lengthy discussions with council officers, local community and neighbours, the school has decided to withdraw its application for an all-weather pitch in order to allow more time to reach a consensus on some of the detail surrounding the project.”
Mr Clayton said the floodlighting aspect would be dropped. During the week, use of the pitch would be restricted to the early evening, possibly with an 8pm cut-off, while at weekends opening hours would be day-time only.
