Multi Use Games Area part of developer's fresh application at site near Stannington

The proposal by Bellway Homes at St Mary’s near the village of Stannington includes the ‘provision of playing field, Multi Use Games Area (MUGA), play area and airing court, including pitch drainage and landscaping’.

The previous application – described as ‘provision of playing field, including pitch drainage, and landscaping of viewing mounds’ – that sought to change the original playing fields and associated facilities agreement, which formed part of a 2007 approval, attracted concerns from local residents and was turned down last summer by members of the Castle Morpeth Local Area Committee by four votes to zero, with two abstentions.

The St Mary’s development is mixed use and compromises residential development, St Mary’s Inn, The Rivergreen Centre and Gardens.

A planning and heritage statement on behalf of Bellway Homes said that the latest bid will be ‘for use by the residents of St Mary’s and designed in conjunction with them’.

It also includes the following: ‘Pre-application discussions with residents of St Mary’s and Northumberland County Council have been undertaken to agree what is considered appropriate and beneficial to the residents of the St Mary’s development.

‘The site is currently awaiting the installation of drainage and the carrying out of landscape planting, with the land formation work already carried out.

‘An ecology assessment for the site was carried out by OS Ecology, which found that the site comprised a level area of neutral grassland. Habitats on site are considered to be of local habitat value, with similar habitat present to the east of the site.

‘The assessment recommends a number of avoidance and mitigation measures, which can be controlled by an appropriately worded planning condition.

‘The proposed pitch – along with the MUGA, play space and airing court – is designed to maximise multifunctional use and wide community use, whilst balancing the proposals against the need for a suitable long-term management and maintenance arrangement.

‘Since the previous refusal, three mounds previously on site have been removed.’