AMERY Hill School is one step closer to gaining permission for its controversial artificial turf pitch after district planners resolved to raise no objections.

The final decision on the application for the all weather pitch will rests with Hampshire County Council, but the district councillors were given the opportunity to object if they felt it necessary.

The original application for the AWP included eight 15-metre floodlight columns, which were later deleted from the proposal after consultation.

Members of the Amery Hill ResidentsÕ Action Group however were still worried, as just a few months before, they were told that an AWP without floodlights was not commercially viable due to the limited hours of light during the winter. They were concerned that the proposal would eventually become a two-part application, with a separate application for the floodlights coming at a later date.

The countyÕs environmental health officer had suggested extra conditions that may be added to the proposal, to make the application more palatable for the residents. He suggested that the facility only be used Monday to Friday between 9 am and 6 pm, and from 9 am to 1 pm on most Saturdays, with 14 Saturdays of the calendar year allowing use from 9 am to 6 pm.

He also suggested that the facility only be open to Amery Hill School or other educational groups in Alton.

Alton Town Council had objected to the plans, saying: ÒWhile the committee recognises the pressing need for a facility of this nature in Alton, the proposed facility, by way of its location, is too close to the boundaries of adjoining properties.Ó

Town councillor Bob Evans, who was present at the planning meeting, added: ÒThe site adjoins a conservation area, and policy states that developments which affect a conservation area should not be permitted.

ÒAlso, the drainage aspect is an accident waiting to happen. There have been repeated problems in that area in the past, and the plans do not feature adequate surface water control. The area is considered by EHDC to be a flood risk area. It is not called Flood Meadows for nothing.

ÒThe National Playing Fields Association recommends a distance of 75 metres between pitches and houses, and this application falls some way short.Ó

Bob Booker commented: ÒAlton does need an AWP, but IÕm not really happy with this one. I sympathise with the concerns of the residents, and IÕd like to see the pitch turned 90 degree so it ran from east to west rather than north to south. This might make it more acceptable to residents.Ó

Planning officers however said that this would not be possible, as it would result in the loss of all of the other grass pitches on the fields, including the football, rugby and cricket pitches.

Jerry Janes said: ÒThere is a crushing need in Alton for youth provision, yet the residents have merely said a flat ÔnoÕ. They have offered no room for compromise.

ÒPeople have asked why the facility has to be at Amery Hill, and the answer is funding. School sites would get 80 per cent funding from bodies like Sport England, whereas public sites only get 40 per cent.

ÒPeople have also asked why the facility canÕt be located at EggarÕs. I canÕt see the residents surrounding EggarÕs being any happier with such plans. Amery Hill is a great school, and EggarÕs have their own plans for development.

ÒThe residents say that they have done research on other AWPs in the area, but I would suggest that this research has been selective. There is no mention of the AWP at Connaught in Aldershot, where one was built which was surrounded by houses and there has been no problem, or the one at Perins in Alresford where there hasnÕt been one noise complaint in its 20-year history.

ÒThe residents are worried about the noise it will cause, but the school is currently allowed to hire out its grass pitches to outside groups, and I donÕt see the difference. Do people shout more on artificial turf? I donÕt think so. I think that the environmental officerÕs recommendation is absolute nonsense, as it is more restrictive than the current situation.Ó

Geoffrey Whittle added: ÒIÕm concerned about the condition limiting the use of the facility to only educational groups. This will vastly limit the number of people who will be allowed to hire it, which as well as excluding a large proportion of the local sports clubs, will cause financial problems as the pitch will have to earn enough money to pay for its own maintenance.Ó

The proposal for lodging no objection was put to the vote, after the added conditions suggested by the environmental officer had been amended. The suggestions made about the hours of use were accepted, but the condition limiting use of the pitch to only the school and other educational groups, was denied.