ELA Active has withdrawn its planning application for an artificial grass football pitch to be constructed on Impington Village College land between properties on Park Drive and the Spire Cambridge Lea hospital.
During the mandatory consultation which is part of the planning process, 51 objections were raised by the public compared with 19 supportive comments.
Cambridgeshire County Council’s Highways department has recommended that the application is refused in its present format due to concerns about the availability of vehicle and bicycle parking “within a reasonable walking distance” of the proposed pitch, and the potential impact on New Road.
Further concerns are expressed by South Cambs District Council’s Environment Planning Team, who have raised issues related to lighting and noise. Given those concerns they recommend that the pitch operating hours should be limited to an 8pm finish Monday to Friday, and 6pm Saturdays and Sundays.
Objections raised by the Parish Council echoed those raised by several members of the public, including a “lack of engagement from applicant with residents and local authority” while the plans were being drawn up.
Withdrawing a planning application is a relatively common response to objections and concerns raised by consultees, as it avoids the applicant potentially having their plans refused and having to pay more to present a new application. County Councillor Ros Hathorn commented on social media: “…if you think when you submit the proposal that the objections are reasonable, stepping back and coming up with solutions to those problems is a sensible response.”