A Herefordshire high school has revealed plans for a new year-round floodlit synthetic sports pitch that it will share with the community.

Queen Elizabeth High School in Bromyard intends installing it on its current tarmac tennis courts next to Panniers Lane.

The “grass-green” of the new 43-by-33-metre 3G pitch “will create a far more pleasing appearance than the current tarmac”, according to the application prepared for the school by Surfacing Standards Ltd.

With six goal alcoves, which can otherwise be used for storage, the surface would be used for a single large end-to-end pitch, or two half-size pitches.

The plan would “benefit the local community and other partner organisations” as well as the school, the application says.

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It would be used on weekdays by local primary schools as well as the high school, and then by community clubs in evenings and at weekends.

“Such community usage would be available for all local youth football teams who currently use natural turf pitches which often become unplayable during the winter months,” the bid says.

If it is successful, the pitch would be in use between 8am and 9pm weekdays, and between 9am and 5pm at weekends.

The current chain-link perimeter fencing would be replaced by more substantial 4.5-metre black steel mesh panels, “to provide an adequate ball-stop and to help prevent unauthorised use and vandalism”.

The new LED lighting would be mounted on four 10-metre high stanchions. As there is a helicopter landing area to the east of the planned pitch, Midland Air Ambulance have recommended red obstruction lighting be installed on the two nearest stanchions.

Comments on the planning application, numbered 222572, can be made until September 23.