Thank you for visiting this page. Last year we asked Trafford Planners for a temporary extension of one hour to the permission we have to use our floodlights on the pitch. This was granted and we used the lights until 9.00pm an extension of one hour. We already have permission to use the pitch until 9.00pm which is OK in the summer, but unsafe in winter.  The response from our community research was very positive. More information is available in our Statement of Community Interest and Covering Letter.

The Application

Our application seeks to vary the conditions of planning permission H41766.

 Firstly, replace the elderly Metal Halide lighting system with a modern MUSCO LED lighting system. 

Second, to vary the hours of use of the lighting system to 09:00 to 21:00 Monday to Saturday with Sunday, remaining unchanged at 09:00 to 20:00. The maximum luminance for match play will be 500 lux and 350 lux for training.

Summary

Planning permission, H41766, currently allows the use of the floodlighting between the hours of 0900 to 2000 on any day, whilst permission H/57374 allows the use of the pitch without the floodlights between 0900 and 2100 on any day. An application to vary H41766 temporarily by extending the hours of use of floodlighting until 2100 was approved under reference 104039/VAR/21. This permission ceased on September 30th 2022.

This application seeks to synchronise the hours of operation of the floodlights with the use of the pitch, except Sundays and not to extend the use hours of the pitch. Our in-club research shows little appetite for hockey activity after 9.00 pm.

We recognise the potential impact on the residential amenity, including lighting and noise impacts. Therefore the application does not involve an extension in the height of the lighting columns. Since establishing the pitch and lights, there has been substantial tree growth on all sides of the pitch.

We believe our noise mitigation measures have been effective, as shown by the Hepworth Noise Survey. Although costly, installing the MUSCO LED system is a step change that will massively reduce light spill, glare and energy consumption. These reductions in amenity impact will always be felt, not just for the one additional hour.

Importantly, the impact assessment (page xx)  assessment shows the removal of all Grange Road properties from the current light spill envelope.

The club has or is in the process of consulting with the local community and has undertaken technical noise or lighting assessments connected with this application. The Noise Assessment Report by Hepworth and the Lighting Assessment by Neil Johnson are attached. We are also aware of how LED lighting contributes to the objectives of the Trafford Carbon Neutral Action Plan.

Finally, the temporary permission has been in operation for almost twelve months, and we have received no adverse comments from the community. We ask that the temporary permission is extended from October 1st 2022, until January 31st 2023. The idea is that this period will cover the MUSCO lead time and provision for any decision-making timescales.

Click the link below to view these documents:

Trafford – Online Applications

The Planning Reference is 104039/VAR/21

You will see from the statement that we had very few objections but listened to the scale and scope of the objections and tailored some of the noise and light mitigation measures in response.