A SECONDARY school has lodged plans for a new football pitch which it says would 'benefit' the community. 

Sir William Romney’s School in Tetbury has submitted plans to Cotswold District Council to create a new community 3G 11v11 artificial grass pitch.

The school says the new pitch is part of a programme to 'improve the education, outdoor sport, and community provision at the school.'

Located adjacent to the sports centre, the pitch would provide community training and match day facilities for Tetbury Youth FC, Avonvale United FC, and Malmesbury Youth FC.

The new pitch will also offer a wide range of recreational football opportunities for young people while also providing new opportunities designed specifically for women and girls.

While the pitch has been designed primarily for football, the surface will be suitable for contact rugby training and can accommodate other sport and physical education activities.

The development is also expected to enable the school to further extend and improve the community use of the school’s sports centre.

The plans seek permission to construct the new pitch, with spectator area, goal storage areas, perimeter sports fencing, sports LED lights, maintenance equipment storage, link paths, car park extension and tree planting works.

The plans are being backed by The Athelstan Trust, the Football Foundation, Gloucestershire FA, and Wiltshire FA.

Subject to planning consent being granted, it is intended that the facility would be constructed at the beginning of 2025 and open for school and community use in early April 2025.

Will Ruscoe, headteacher at Sir William Romney’s School said: “The plans for the new community artificial grass pitch demonstrates our commitment to physical education for all our students at SWR and our commitment to serving the local community.

"This facility will not only improve the sporting facilities at the school but also open doors for community members to engage and interact.

"We are also excited that the new pitch will further extend and improve the wider use of the school’s sports centre, and I encourage the community to support the proposals submitted."

Local residents have supported the plans on the application. 

One said: "A truly brilliant proposal for the local community."

Another said: "I fully support this development of an amazing facility for now and for the future years of football development."

Another wrote: "It would be a fantastic multi purpose facility which is much needed in the area for year round sport."

See the plans - tinyurl.com/874x6wmn