AN ALL-weather playing surface is set to be constructed for students at a Basingstoke junior school to utilise.

As previously reported in The Gazette, Hatch Warren Junior School, in Gershwin Road, had applied for planning permission from Hampshire County Council to develop a 25m x 16.5m synthetic turf pitch on the school grounds.

Following a decision day meeting at the county council, members agreed to approve the proposal.

The school had applied for the development of the new all-weather playing surface so that students could fully utilise sporting facilities at the school all year round.

In the planning statement put forward to the county council it read: “During the drier summer months, the school allow the pupils, during the school day and at breaktimes for informal play and formal PE classes, to utilise the whole of the grass playing field.

“However, during the wetter winter months the school are not able to allow access to the grass playing field during the school day due to the mess caused by muddy shoes bringing mud etc. back into the school building.

“The pupils and therefore, during winter, restricted to the two hard play courts.”

The new development will consist of the 25m x 16.5m pitch, a four metre perimeter fence and access gates which will be locked outside of school operating hours.

The application was also given the backing of Sport England, who said it would receive applications for any additional funding needed to maintain the site once built.

In the decision day report from the county council it said that by providing the new all-weather pitch it would provide health benefits to the students at Hatch Warren Junior School as they would be able to “use it no matter the weather.”

The report read: “The development is an improvement to external activity space through the creation of a synthetic turf pitch which can be utilised throughout the year for sports, not just in the summer months.

“Although the all weather pitch has no proposed use for the local community, it will be used by the school children for after school clubs and it will therefore provide health and wellbeing benefits to the 351 pupils attending the school.”

Members approved the application with no objections received.