PARENTS, pupils and local residents have the chance to have a say on new sports facilities at a York school.
Millthorpe and nearby schools in Southbank, along with the local community, will benefit from a full size multi-use games area (MUGA), which organisers hope will be ready by September this year.
City of York Council agreed to fund the all-year-round MUGA as part of the expansion of nearby Scarcroft Primary, which is necessary because of increasing numbers of children in the area.
A consultation period, ending February 5, has now begun for parents, pupils and residents to comment on the plans, before a planning application is submitted.
A drop in event is to be held at both schools, at either venue, any time between 3pm-7pm on Friday this week.
The outdoor sports facilities will include an artificial grass, all-weather, floodlit pitch and new netball/tennis courts at Millthorpe School.
City of York Council has agreed to fund these facilities, which will include additional car parking on the Millthorpe site.
This is to compensate for an expansion of Scarcroft which has resulted in losing some of its car park and currently has limited outdoor space for its children.
Both schools will use the new facilities, which will add to the provision for all York schools’ sports activities and will be available for community use outside school hours.
Governors at Millthorpe and Scarcroft, working with PE leaders at both schools and a specialist consultant, have agreed a plan which is detailed on the schools’ websites.
Providing planning permission is granted, both schools would like works to take place during the summer holidays.
Trevor Burton, head teacher at Millthorpe, said: “There has never been a better time to encourage an active lifestyle and to instil a love of sport into the lives of our children and young people."
Scarcroft head teacher Anna Cornhill is also excited at the new facilities.
She said: “It will mean for the first time we can host ‘home’ games on a proper playing surface and our can have PE or games lessons just a very short walk away.
"We can’t wait.”
Demand for extra places at Scarcroft means the school is being expanded to accommodate an additional 15 pupils per year.
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