A TOWN'S sports facilities could receive a boost if a housing development is given the go-ahead.

Richmondshire District Council has received a planning application from George Wimpey North East to build 32 apartments and 16 houses on the convent hockey pitch, off Reeth Road, in Richmond.

If the application is approved, the developers have agreed to build a children's playground and multi-use sports area, including two mini-football pitches.

The play area would be created near the homes.

A 250-metre corridor would link the development to the sports facility built on nearby Westfields - land that this week will be bought from the council by Richmondshire Landscape Trust.

District councillor and trust spokesman Stuart Parsons said: "The trust has always supported the council's aspiration to improve community provision and is very happy to be able to provide the land needed.

"The agreement reached between the Richmondshire Landscape Trust and Richmondshire District Council means that the residents of West Ward will at long last get access to a modern and exciting new play area.

"One of the main aspirations of the trust was to give better access to all the land currently being transferred and this planned play area will certainly go a long way to wards achieving that aim."

Richmond Landscape Trust will pay a reduced price of £120,000 for 88 acres of land, including the site of the new sports facility on Westfields.

The community group won overwhelming support from residents when it announced its plans to buy, protect and maintain the land, which many feared could be lost if it was acquired by a developer.

The council's desire to see the sports area built on the Westfields land delayed the final agreement between the authority and the trust.

But discussions have now finished and trustees are due to sign for the land as soon as possible.

Residents living near the proposed development have been notified. People can view the application plan at the council's offices at Springwell House, in Richmond.

The council's environment and planning committee will consider the application at a meeting on Tuesday, February 1.