Thurrock Council has given planning permission for a new multi-use sports pitch in Grays, despite concerns from residents about noise.

The proposal has come from the Quarry Hill Academy, on Dell Road, which is looking to provide more playing space for pupils.

With the pitch set to be open to the school and the public in the evening and be lit by floodlights, residents who live nearby have raised concerns about the impact it will have on their homes.

But the council says a noise impact assessment and a lighting assessment has concluded that it will not impact residents. They have also not received any objections from the environment agency.

It is proposed that the school will have exclusive use of the pitch from 8am until 4.30pm and the public will be able to use it from 4.30pm until 8pm. At weekend it will be open from 8.30am until 8.30pm.

However, Sports England has recommended that the council discusses these hours, as well as any other restrictions, with the community before formally implementing them.

In planning documents, the academy states: “The school would desperately like to make use of this area of the field, due to it being unplayable at the moment due to various dips in levels.

“It will give the school the opportunity to offer year-round external physical education lessons, which is not possible at present due to the condition of the school field during the winter months, thus limiting the children’s sporting education and involvement.

“The construction of this Multi-Use Games Area pitch will vastly improve the sporting education of the children of this school, encouraging an active lifestyle which is such an important precedent to set on younger children, influencing their future sport participation.”

The pitch will be made using artificial grass and will be enclosed with green mesh fencing.