Floodlit community pitch gets green light in Ayton Drive
A new synthetic PlayZone at the 25K youth and community centre in Redcar has been approved by Redcar and Cleveland Council’s regulatory committee, with councillors and sporting bodies backing the project for its potential to widen access to activity and discourage anti-social behaviour.
The scheme on a playing field immediately south of the centre on Ayton Drive will include floodlighting, three-metre-high perimeter fencing, benches for spectators, and waste bins. Noise-damping measures are built into the design to limit rattle and vibration from ball impacts. According to the council’s planning officer, the layout ensures appropriate separation from nearby homes to avoid overlooking or loss of privacy.
“Residents are very enthusiastic about the possibility of [children] engaging in such facilities, rather than indulging in anti-social behaviour,”
councillor Marian Fairley told the committee, adding that the centre is already well used and the response from doorstep conversations locally had been positive.
Support from Sport England and no neighbour objections
The proposal drew no objections from neighbours. In its consultation response, Sport England concluded the benefits for participation justified the change in how the playing area will be used. As it put it, the PlayZone would be of
“sufficient benefit to the development of sport as to outweigh the detriment caused by the loss, or prejudice to the use, of the area of playing field”.
Council officers reported there would be no overbearing effects on surrounding properties due to the site’s position and the scale of the works. The application was granted as deemed consent by the regulatory committee.
Focus on participation and safer spaces
Funding from the Football Foundation has already supported multiple PlayZones—multi-use games areas—across the borough, aiming to expand affordable access to sport and leisure for a wider cross-section of residents. By formalising an all-weather, bookable space with lighting and durable surfacing, the Redcar installation is intended to give young people and families more reliable options for recreation year-round.
Committee members heard that community use is central to the project’s purpose: bringing structured, supervised activities closer to where people live and creating safe, visible places to play. That emphasis, supporters argue, can help reduce opportunities for nuisance behaviour by providing better alternatives after school, at weekends and during darker months when natural light limits outdoor play.
What will change on site
- A new synthetic pitch immediately south of the 25K centre on Ayton Drive.
- Floodlights for evening use and 3m fencing for safety and ball containment.
- Benches for spectators and waste bins to manage litter.
- Noise reduction features to reduce rattle and vibration from ball strikes.
Planners confirmed the arrangement respects distances to residential properties, limiting amenity impacts such as overlooking. With neighbours raising no objections, the committee’s discussion focused on community benefit and practical mitigations embedded in the design.
Key features at a glance
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Playing field south of 25K youth and community centre, Ayton Drive, Redcar |
| Surface | Synthetic PlayZone (multi-use games area) |
| Lighting | Floodlights |
| Boundary | Approx. 3m-high fencing |
| Amenities | Benches, waste bins |
| Mitigation | Noise reduction elements to limit rattle/vibration |
| Consultations | No neighbour objections; Sport England support |
Why this matters locally
For families in Redcar, the decision provides a year-round place to exercise and socialise without relying on weather-dependent grass fields. For coaches, community groups and volunteers, the specification allows for more predictable scheduling—particularly under lights in autumn and winter—helping keep sessions running and attendance up. Backers on the council have also linked the project to broader efforts to reduce anti-social behaviour by offering more inclusive, supervised activities close to home.
While operational details such as booking arrangements are not set out in the planning report, the approval clears the way for delivery once funding and delivery timetables are confirmed through the centre and its partners. With other Football Foundation-assisted PlayZones already operating elsewhere in the borough, the Ayton Drive facility adds to a growing local network intended to lower barriers to taking part in sport.
As the council’s planning officer summarised, the scale and siting of the works avoid adverse impacts on privacy or outlook for neighbours. Combined with support from residents canvassed by ward representatives, the scheme achieved a smooth passage through committee—an indication of shared priorities to open up access to sport while designing out potential nuisance.
