A NEW 3G football pitch is being planned for a town leisure centre and secondary school.

Vale of White Horse District Council has revealed its plan to create the new pitch behind Faringdon Leisure Centre, next to Faringdon Community College.

The artificial turf would replace an open area of grass adjoining the playing fields behind the Fernham Road centre.

Sports planning specialists Martin Arnold have drawn up plans on behalf of the council's leisure team and submitted them for approval to officers in the planning department.

In their application, the planners said: "The economic opportunities of increasing facilities available at the leisure centre would mean that GLL, the operators, would be able to rent the facilities out to the wider community for use.

"This will also in turn generate profits for the local economy and the public.

"The additional facilities may also attract users from further reach to use the facilities, especially for inter-school or similar football matches."

They added: "The facilities can be rented out to a wider audience for further use, the facilities will create a ‘social hub’ for the community, with potential for other schools within a further reach to make use of the improved facilities available."

The proposal also includes the provision of extra parking spaces to accommodate the expected increase in visitors.

Members of public can see the designs at whitehorsedc.gov.uk using reference number P17/V2659/FUL