Bishop Auckland College submits leisure facilities upgrade plans

Bishop Auckland College has submitted a proposal to build a new 'multi-pitch hub' on its premises at Woodhouse Close. 

Increased rainfall means the two current grass pitches are often waterlogged and have been deemed “unplayable for significant periods of the year”, the college said. Teams are often forced to travel to other pitches elsewhere in County Durham. 

The St John’s School 3G pitch next to the college is over-subscribed and unavailable to students. 

Bishop Auckland College (Image: The Northern Echo)

A statement added: “This affects both the experience of sports students and also the wider college community, which includes our pre‐16 alternative provision students for whom the opportunity to expend excess energy is essential.”

The college also plans to build a two-storey extension to the sports hall to include a fit-for-purpose fitness suite with sports science analysis equipment. The development will allow facilities to be used outside of college hours, the application added. 

A planning statement read: “It is important to stress that there will be no loss of playing fields from the proposed 3G development, the designated 3G development area is on the periphery of the land and is currently unusable for any sporting activity. The college also has a sports hall with a climbing wall; this is relatively unusual, and a small fitness suite which is not fit for purpose.”

The proposal has been backed by local football and rugby teams. 

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“There is an acknowledged shortfall of 3G facilities in the south region which will only be exacerbated by the current large-scale housing developments taking place in the local area, as well as the commercial leisure and retail development at West Auckland,” the planning statement added. 

“This will inevitably bring an increase in people coming to the town; the community is changing and growing. The college is located in the Woodhouse Close ward in an area of high deprivation, there is the potential for a significant positive impact on health and wellbeing; a proportion of time will be allocated for free community use. 

The plans are due to be considered by Durham County Council later this year.