Agenda item

DM/17/00713/FPA - Maiden Castle Sports Centre, Graham Sports Centre, Maiden Castle, Durham, DH1 3SE

Reconfiguration and resurfacing of three sports pitches including the erection of associated floodlight columns and enclosures, hard and soft landscaping, and revised access arrangement and car park layout.

Minutes:

The Committee considered a report of the Senior Planning Officer regarding an application for the reconfiguration and resurfacing of three sports pitches including the erection of associated floodlight columns and enclosures, hard and soft landscaping, and revised access arrangement and car park layout at Maiden Castle Sports Centre, Graham Sports Centre, Maiden Castle, Durham (for copy see file of Minutes).

 

A Inch, Team Leader, Strategy Team gave a detailed presentation on the application which included a site location plan, site photographs, existing site plan and proposed masterplan.

 

The Team Leader informed the Committee that since the publication of the report there had been a dialogue with Environmental Health Officers which had resulted Condition 3 being withdrawn.  There were also amendments proposed to Conditions 4 and 5 to allow and agree a phased approach.

 

Mr Q Sloper of Durham University addressed the Committee in support of the application.

 

Durham University was a world class university and was within the top 100 universities in the world.  It was the only university within County Durham and it did not underplay the value of sports, which were part of the wider student experience.  The existing facilities at the site were at full capacity and did not meet the demands of the existing College and University Sport programme. The enhanced sports facilities would benefit both the University and the wider community, with the Centre already a sports hub.  The proposal would enable the site to remain in viable sports use and would ill be a first step to ensuring that the University’s facilities are more attractive to host major, external sporting events that would raise the profile of the University, the City and the region.

 

The site was sustainably located and was accessible from Durham City and nearby University facilities.  The proposed development contributed to all three dimensions of sustainable development and would deliver substantial benefits in each area.  The improved facilities would contribute to supporting the sustainable growth and student experience of the University by providing improved facilities and would also enable the site to become more accessible and available for the wider community

 

The proposed development was an appropriate development in the green belt and solely related to the reconfiguration and upgrade of three of the existing pitches with associated landscaping, access and reconfigured parking.

 

Councillor Richardson moved approval of the application.

 

Councillor Wilkes expressed concern that the proposal involved the removal of 56 mature trees which would have an impact on visual amenity.  Councillor Wilkes hoped that any trees planted under the application would be of a significant size.

 

Seconded by Councillor Taylor and

 

Resolved:

That the application be approved subject to the Conditions contained in the report, as amended.

Supporting documents: