A Bracknell school plans to install a new AstroTurf pitch on site with the aim of ‘stimulating higher levels of sport and physical activity’ amongst pupils. 

Lambrook School in Winkfield submitted the application to the council, in part, to cater for the growing popularity of playing hockey amongst both girls and boys. 

As well as turning a grass area into a multi-use games area (MUGA), the plan also outlines designs for a three-metre-high boundary fence parallel to Cricketers Lane, extending to 3.8 metres at the shorter ends to prevent ball loss during play, as well as a wildlife garden and drainage pond. 

The applicant claims the pitch location has been “carefully selected” to minimise the impact on the school’s current sports provisions.   

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The 0.72-hectare site, located to the east of Cricketers Lane and comprising of open land, is currently used as a single hole golf course. However, the school wants to make the space more suitable for regular use, particularly during the winter months when it sees little use. 

Other locations for the proposed pitch were considered by the school but it was decided that any other location would “result in the loss” of existing facilities.   

The school claims the existing Astro pitch is already at “maximum capacity” and the increased desire to play hockey has meant that pupils have had to “take a bus to Bracknell” daily in order to use external facilities and play in inter‐school matches. 

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The playing surface, which would be a green sand-filled carpet, is also planned to be used as a netball court but no floodlighting is proposed meaning it would only be used during daylight hours.   

It is proposed that it will be used by the school from Monday to Saturday for matches and physical education classes. External visitors would only be expected to visit the facility during match days, which take place on Wednesday’s, Friday’s and Saturday’s. 

The planned wildlife garden is designed to “provide large amounts of natural screening” to the sports pitches from Cricketers Road, as well as providing an “increasingly important refuge” for wildlife and boost the overall biodiversity of the school grounds.

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Lambrook School, which was first established in 1860, is a co-educational Prep School for 615 boys and girls aged three to 13. 

Set in 52 acres of countryside, it is available for day, weekly and flexi boarding pupils where Jonathan Perry, has been in the role as headmaster for over 11 years. 

In 2019, Mr Perry received the prestigious Tatler Best Head of a Prep School award for his kind nature and success at the school.