Issue details

To seek approval to use £121,323.00 of section 106 monies ring fenced to the Joint Playing Fields for improvements to the public open space. £69,868 is to be taken from the Station Road development in Blaxton (planning reference 12/01327/EXTM), £51,455 is to be taken from the Old Bawtry Road development (planning reference 13/01520/OUTM). The proposal is to make a grant of £121,323.00 to Blaxton Parish Council under a formal funding agreement.

Background
1. The Blaxton and Finningley playing field is situated in the South of Doncaster, covering an area of 9 acres between the villages of Blaxton and Finningley.
In September 2017 the new pavilion, supported by a Section 106 contribution from Doncaster Council, was completed and formally opened on Sunday October 22nd 2017. Since its opening the building has allowed for more extensive use of the playing fields and tennis courts.

The Public open space now comprises of:

- Junior Soccer organised by Finningley Harriers FC, comprising teams in the Under 6; Under 7; Under 8; Under 9; Under 10; Under 13 and Under 15 age groups.

- Adult Soccer organised by Finningley Athletic FC, 1 team at present.

- Cricket organised by Doncaster Town Cricket Club with their Juniors (Matting Wicket), 3rd and 4th Teams based at Finningley and occasional Ladies Team matches at Finningley.

- The Tennis Courts are in use throughout the summer by families. There was organised tennis coaching throughout the summer of 2018, which has resulted in looking at forming a Tennis Club. The Playing Field Association has appointed a tennis representative to its membership. They are also exploring winter opening.

In order to continue to offer good facilities to present and future users, the Playing Field Association (PFA) believes that it is necessary to improve the playing areas and supporting facilities. To achieve this, a number of things need to be done:

PLAYING AREAS. – THE JOINT PLAYING FIELDS
The number of Soccer teams using the field, all with different pitch size requirements, means that the PFA struggles to accommodate all age groups. Around the perimeter there are unused areas currently covered with bramble and bushes that, if recovered and made good, will allow for better use of the field to plan pitches. In addition, the adult pitch is currently the minimum permissible size for adult league games. A larger area would allow the pitch to be a more suitable size. The PFA are aware that the bramble and bushes do provide a natural habitat for wildlife and would not want to remove it all. They have taken advice from Doncaster Council Tree and Ecology Team and agreed 3 to 5 meters can sensibly be added to the playing areas.

The PFA also want to make the area between the pavilion and the extension of Chapel Lane more usable by levelling it and removing two or possibly all three of the Containers that currently take up space. A fenced off area (Compound) next to the pavilion to provide safe storage of goal posts and larger equipment will reduce the space currently taken up by containers and make this a usable area for training and possibly a small pitch.

£121,323.00 is ring-fenced to the site for a number of improvements:
FIELD ENLARGEMENT (Approximate costs £33,565 excluding VAT)
Enlargement of the field by removal of banks, bramble and self-set trees to allow more space for pitch areas; some fencing and pathway improvement; creation of a new compound to release containers and removal of 2 containers; creation of 1 metre inset from boundary wall on Lower Pasture to facilitate easier mowing and a hard-base path around the tennis courts.

See attached Officer Decision Record for full details.