Floodlight plans for school sports pitch “will help boost health of youngsters”

Plans to install 15-metre-high floodlights at a school sports pitch will help to improve the fitness of youngsters, it has been claimed.

It comes after proposals to create eight lighting columns at Ysgol Clywedog in Wrexham were backed unanimously by councillors.

The site is one of two earmarked as a community footballing hub as part of a strategy involving Wrexham Council and the Football Association of Wales.

The application was submitted by Freedom Leisure – an arms length company responsible for managing the county’s leisure facilities on behalf of the council.

Speaking at a planning committee meeting, local councillor Phil Wynn spoke in favour of the plans.

He said: “I believe this to be a good news story for the promotion of health and wellbeing for those who do actually participate in football.

“At the school we have a very healthy relationship with Brickfield Rangers for whom at least part of the school grounds form their ground.

“It is a youth set up with over 400 children who are affiliated with the school and during the winter months because there are no floodlights they have to go elsewhere throughout the county to train.

“I welcome the application because other local youth clubs from Brymbo and Coedpoeth could be using this facility which is more on their doorstep.”

In a report Lawrence Isted, the authority’s head of planning, said the columns should be given the go-ahead subject to restrictions on the times they can be used.

Hours of use would be 5pm to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.

A timer will be fitted on the lights to ensure the hours of use are restricted.

By Liam Randall – BBC Local Democracy Reporter (more here on the LDR scheme).