Reading FC expresses interest in using new all-weather sports pitch at The Hurst School if plans are approved
A secondary school has applied for permission to build a new all-weather sports pitch on its grounds and the plans have already garnered interest from a professional football club.
The Hurst School, located in Baughurst, applied for permission to build a 3G artificial turf pitch (ATP) along with associated features on May 16.
Newly-demoted League One side Reading FC have expressed interest in making use of the facility if the plans were approved, as well as other local clubs such as Tadley Calleva and Aldermaston.
Headteacher Jayne McLaren is hopeful that the plans will be approved so that the pitch can be used by both students at The Hurst and the local community.
She said: “We want the best facilities for our students. Many schools are putting 3Gs in place at the moment so we looked at what other schools were doing and saw that we could do it here.
“It’s two-fold really. The first side of it is with our students and the students getting the best possible provision we can offer them.
“On this they can do netball, football, rugby. All sorts of things, whatever the weather, and that’s really quite important for us as we have lots of fields that get waterlogged.
“The other side is for our local community. We have a leisure centre that is open on evenings and weekends to the local community, and having the 3G will make other clubs be able to access some good facilities in the local area, which can be difficult in a semi-rural setting.
“I am very hopeful for the school and the community that planning goes ahead and we can offer this facility to grow the opportunities for all young people in the area.”
The pitch would be located on a patch of land between the school and its leisure centre. The field is currently being used for athletics and other sports.
Another school field would be re-developed in the future for athletics training if the plans were approved.
As well as the construction of the 5,917 square metre pitch, the plans also include a 4.5 metre high perimeter fence, a 15 square metre storage container, six 15 metre high floodlights and a 2,158 square metre hard-standing area surrounding the pitch for pedestrian access, vehicular access and circulation.
A local resident has already expressed their support for the proposed project.
Graham Brooks said: “Our young people need an all-weather pitch. The present grass pitch is not always in the best condition especially in winter.
“It will help to support the fitness programme of the college, and it will also be a great facility for the rest of the local community as well. So I 100 per cent support the plan.”
To view the planning application, search reference 23/01258/FUL on the Basingstoke and Deane planning portal.
