A decision is due this week on proposals to install a 3G artificial grass pitch (AGP), erect eight tall lighting columns and replace the pavilion at Victoria Park, Latchford, after developers proposed a housing scheme that will remove sports facilities at another site.
Planning committee to consider mitigation linked to 400‑plus homes
In July last year homebuilders Barratt and David Wilson submitted plans to build more than 400 homes on the University of Chester’s former Padgate Campus. To compensate for the anticipated loss of sports provision at that site, a supplementary planning application has been tabled with Warrington Borough Council to upgrade facilities at Victoria Park.
According to a pre-meeting report, the application has been referred to the council’s Development Management Committee because the land in question is council-owned. The committee is due to consider the proposals on Thursday, with officers recommending the development manager be authorised to conditionally grant planning permission and to agree non-material changes to conditions.
If councillors resolve to approve the scheme it must then be referred to the Secretary of State to decide whether to call the application in for their own determination.
What is proposed at Victoria Park
- Installation of a regulation-size 3G artificial grass pitch (AGP) on the western side of the park, on existing grass playing field currently described as a poor-quality training pitch.
- Replacement of the existing single-storey changing rooms with a larger pavilion building in a similar location; the current changing rooms would be demolished.
- Perimeter mesh fencing and eight tall lighting columns to surround the new pitch.
- Realignment eastwards of a nearby pitch to accommodate the location and dimensions of the new regulation-size rugby league and football pitch.
"The proposed 3G artificial grass pitch (AGP) would be located on the western side of the park on an area of existing grass playing field."
The pre-meeting papers note that the existing training pitch is used only on an ad hoc basis and that the new AGP would replace that facility.
Hours, flood risk and site constraints
The application sets out operating hours for the new pitch: 8am to 10pm Monday to Saturday and 8am to 8pm on Sundays. Because of the location of a regulation-size rugby league and football pitch and the new AGP, the report states another nearby pitch will need to be realigned to the east.
Officers also flagged a major constraint: the site lies within Flood Zone 3, the highest risk category for flooding. The report records this as a material consideration in the assessment of the proposals.
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Housing scheme | More than 400 homes on former Padgate Campus |
| Proposed sports upgrade | 3G AGP, new pavilion, floodlights, mesh fencing |
| Operating hours | Mon–Sat: 08:00–22:00, Sun: 08:00–20:00 |
| Flood status | Flood Zone 3 |
Council officers have recommended delegation to the development manager to grant with conditions, while giving authority to make non-material changes. The referral to committee reflects the council’s interest as landowner rather than opposition from other consultees recorded in the report.
The move underlines an increasingly common approach to delivering new housing: on-site losses of community or sporting assets at one location are sometimes addressed through off-site enhancements elsewhere. In this case, the proposed investment in an all‑weather surface, new pavilion and lighting is presented as mitigation for the facilities that would be lost at the Padgate Campus site.
The committee’s decision will determine whether the council can confirm the conditional permission recommended by officers or refer the matter on to the Secretary of State for a decision. Any clearance would allow the housing scheme to progress while leaving the future of sport provision in Latchford dependent on the detailed conditions attached to the permission.
Members are set to debate the proposals at the Development Management Committee meeting on Thursday.
