Ashby Ivanhoe FC submits plans for further ground improvements at Lower Packington Road site

By Graham Hill

3rd Oct 2023 | Local News

All images: North West Leicestershire District Council/David Granger Architectural Design Ltd
All images: North West Leicestershire District Council/David Granger Architectural Design Ltd

Ashby Ivanhoe has submitted plans for further development of the football club's ground in Lower Packington Road.

The club was given the go-ahead in July for plans to expand its site with new sport pitches and a larger parking area.

Now an application has been made to North West Leicestershire District Council for works to the existing clubhouse which include raising the roof height to provide first floor accommodation, dormer windows and a balcony.

A single storey building to provide changing room facilities is also part of the scheme.

The club has provided a planning statement alongside the application which details the proposed work that would be carried out if permission is granted.

It reads: "New single storey changing room facilities would replace an existing Portacabin.

"The changing room building would be located to the south of the club house and would provide for home and away changing rooms, office/kitchen/kit room, showers, treatment room, female and male official changing facilities (including shower and WC), entrance lobby and male and female WCs.

"A new roof to the existing clubhouse would provide some first floor accommodation.

"The first floor accommodation would include a sponsors' lounge area, an office, two WCs and a balcony area."

The statement also recognises the issues raised by the planned development, including: The principle of the development; Highway safety and off-street parking; Design and visual amenity; Living conditions of neighbouring properties; River Mease and drainage.

Nearby residents objected to the previous scheme at the time for a number of reasons, including: making the club ceasing to be compatible with its location; noise and disturbance from the club's expanding social and commercial activities;  the expansion of sporting activity and parking, creating more problems of disturbance and antisocial behaviour in the vicinity; traffic parking on highway verges and footways on Lower Packington Road and on the nearby estate; Lower Packington Road is a narrow winding country lane with blind spots which is not capable of safely accommodating large numbers of vehicles.

The planning statement acknowledges that improvements are needed to the entrance to the site in terms of visibility.

It adds: "The existing access would be retained but with improved visibility.

"This would be achieved to the west by relocating an existing fence and to the east by removing a section of the existing hedge/fence and for it to be replanted/replaced into the site.

"The existing access would be retained but with significantly improved visibility.

"These works would allow for visibility of 2.4m x 65m in both directions.

"The application seeks to improve and enhance existing development on the site rather than provide significant levels of additional floorspace which would materially intensify the use of the existing access or require additional car parking on the site.

"However, in order to provide highway safety benefits as part of the current proposals, the scheme seeks to make improvements to the access into the site and it is noted that significant additional car parking would be provided as part of planning application."

So far, North West Leicestershire District Council has recorded one objection from a resident which highlights parking and access issues and highway safety at the site.

Artist's impressions provided by Ashby firm David Granger Architectural Design Ltd have also been included with the application.

     

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