PLANS to install six ten metre floodlights at a Dudley school football pitch have been recommended for approval by planning chiefs.

The scheme to install the columns on Bishop Milner Catholic College's artificial grass pitch has been given the green light, despite divided opinion from neighbours.

The plan, which aims to provide more opportunities for the community to use the pitch outside of school hours, received nine letters of objection.

Objectors cited light pollution, loss of privacy and a detrimental effect on road safety.

However, 25 letters from households near the school and elsewhere in the borough were also received, with many enthusiastic for an additional sports facility in Dudley.

Reasons for backing scheme included the benefit to young people's health and the capacity for sports to take place at the evening and weekends.

The application also includes the installation of acoustic fencing along the boundary with the adjacent homes on the Broadway for a length of 67m along the edge of the recently completed games pitch.

Responding to residents' concerns about light pollution, the Dudley Council's officer's report states the columns are an "appropriate height" and would not lead to light spillage beyond the pitch.

Efforts to reduce light glare and limit the use of the pitch to 9pm on weekdays were also added as conditions to approval.

Recommending that the scheme by approved, the officer report stated: "The extended use of the sports pitch through the use of floodlighting would help to increase participation in sport improving the health and

well-being of the area whilst also improving the quality of sports provision for community use.

"The lighting scheme has been designed so that it would not have an adverse impact upon residential amenity in terms of either light spillage or light glare. The restriction on the hours of use of the pitch would allow a reasonable level of extended use whilst also protecting residential amenity in terms of noise."

The decision comes almost a year after Dudley councillors approved the plan for the multi-use games area at the Burton Road school.