Issue - meetings

Description of application – Erection of a covered full-size football pitch, creation of an artificial full-size pitch with floodlighting, and regarding of the site to create a full-size show pitch with spectator seating and six training pitches (two full-size, two ¾ size and two half size).  External alterations and lobby and link extensions to the existing buildings.  Installation of maintenance/store sheds, water tanks and under-pitch infrastructure.  Associated highway and landscaping works.

Oral representations from the Chairman of North Copers’ Cope Road Action Group in objection to the application included the following points:-

·  The proposed indoor pitch building was huge and could not be justified within Metropolitan Open Land.

·  The requirements for Category 1 and Category 2 academies were exactly the same as far as the indoor pitch size was concerned – Crystal Palace was currently Category 2 but it could equally be category 1.  The size of the building would not influence Crystal Palace’s chance of being promoted in the category stage.

·  The new development rules required a pitch to be a minimum of 55m x 35m – more or less the size of the current pitch being used at the national sports centre.

·  There needs to be very special circumstances to erect any building on Metropolitan Open Land (MOL).  Youth development rules may constitute very special circumstances if the new building met the minimum requirements laid down by the rules.  However the significant harm caused to the openness of the MOL by the much larger building proposed would undermine or even eliminate these very special circumstances.

·  The proposed building would enclose a full-sized pitch.  However it was emphasised that a full-sized pitch was not a requirement but instead a recommendation.  The proposed pitch of 160m x 81m was four times bigger than that required by the rules.  The planning harm caused by the much larger pitch undermined the very special circumstances.  The site in question was small and relatively open.  Consequently any building would have an enormous impact.

·  The building proposed by Crystal Palace was larger than any other Category 1 academy in the country.

·  Fulham FC had reduced the height of their building in response to local concerns. 

Oral representations from the Chairman of the Club in support of the application included the following points

·  The aim was to create a Category 1 elite academy for up to 200 boys at any one time who received not only a football education but also  mentoring and supervision – taking them through GCSEs and A-Levels.

·  The club was the focal point of all the clubs in the area and as a result kept a lot of young men active, off the streets and learning about the benefits of team work.

·  A great deal of effort had gone into identifying a site.  The proposed site was very near the first team training ground.  Efforts had been made to make the proposed design palatable to everyone in the area.  The scheme primarily utilised existing buildings.  The proposal did include a large indoor  ...  view the full minutes text for item 67