'Mini-soccer’ pitches approved on former Hebburn Colliery site

It comes after South Tyneside Council submitted an application to its own planning department for the site off School Street in the Hebburn North ward.

This included the development of “three football turf pitches with associated infrastructure” on open space which was historically part of Hebburn Colliery.

According to planning documents, the new football pitches will be used in particular by “children with special educational needs and a local youth team”.

However the wider public will also be able to book such facilities.

The council planning committee unanimously approved the proposals at their meeting on Monday, July 18, with councillors voicing their support for the scheme, in line with officer recommendations.

The development came forward as part of plans to provide compensatory playing pitches in the Hebburn area to offset proposals for land previously allocated for such facilities at Campbell Park Road and Marine Drive.

That area is to be developed as a new emergency services ‘Tri-station’ in Hebburn, which was also given unanimous approval at the same meeting.

Cllr Geraldine Kilgour, Fellgate and Hedworth ward representative, said: “I think it’s good to see that the investment is going to be in the vicinity, certainly in the town, into where further development is taking place, so you can see the direct payback from the works.”

The site is adjacent to the community building ‘The Cabin’ as well as a sports court and play area.

Access to the new development will be managed via a booking system as well as “weldmesh” fencing surrounding the facility and “controlled gated access”.

The pitches will be able to be used between noon and 8.30pm, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm on Saturdays, and 9.30am until 4pm on Sundays -with anticipated usage being no more than three hours on any one day.

Due to no floodlighting being provided, council planners clarified it would not be possible to use the pitches in the late afternoon onwards during the winter.

During consultation on the plan, the council received 14 objections, primarily from residents living nearby, and one letter of support.

Concerns centred on additional noise the pitches will cause, worries over “general disturbance and traffic congestion”, and the loss of open space.

However council planning officers ruled the proposals would be acceptable, adding the benefits would “clearly outweigh” the loss of the “informal open space”.