We have a meeting of the District Council’s planning committee this Thursday . and one of the applications is from Rayleigh Boys Football Club to extend the times in the week when they can play. The club are currently permitted to play on Sundays and 8 Saturdays per year. They are applying for all day Saturdays and Sundays and from 5 pm to 8 pm Monday to Friday.
You can download? the officers report here.
The club have asked for extended hours, on the basis that nearby Academy Soccer already have these hours. However the officers report states that Academy’s hours are Saturdays and Sundays only (not evenings). Officers recommended refusal on the grounds that the proposed hours would be detrimental to the residential amenity of nearby homes. The item has been ‘called in’ to the committee by Councillor Ian Ward, and it will be interesting to see what happens on the night…
I feel your comment is misleading ,in 2010 Rayleigh FC asked for all Saturdays and all Sundays this was refused but downscaled to what we have been working with for the last 5 years whilst hiring other pitches to make this up , on the Academy application it was stated that Rayleigh FC had set the precedent and got approval of all Saturdays and Sundays ,up and above what we have. We have asked for extended hours in line with the Academy application on a Saturday and evenings in the summer for very limited friendlies, this to what the Club need whilst still trying not to over use the facility with the neighbours and residents in mind. Rayleigh FC a purely voluntary organisation with 46 teams ,550 players,100+ volunteers and over 1000 parents and carers from the district, we are also a non profit making organisation hire this field 7 days a week and 52 weeks a year of which even with full approval of our request the area is not even being used a third of the time. We have applied for what we want and need and the grounds are not on somebody else has it ,but I would also say that I hope fairness on the Committee prevails.
Martin thanks for leaving a comment, I’d better not enter into a debate here and ‘fetter my discretion’ before tomorrow night’s meeting. However for clarity I can only say that in the officers report it states that application to amend the hours condition to the following:
‘the use hereby permitted shall not be operated and shall not be made available for use outside the following time : all day Saturday and Sundays and 1700 hours to 2000 hours Monday to Friday.
Is that what you intended to apply for?