Plans to develop a 3G sports pitch on the area known as Little Wembley, near Boundary Park, have been approved following a meeting of the planning committee.
On Wednesday (December 20), members of Oldham Council's planning committee met to decide on plans submitted by Oldham Athletic to replace the existing grass pitch with an artificial one, along with changing rooms.
While the new pitch would serve the Latics' youth teams, the facility will also be available to the wider community after the proposal was approved.
The single-storey building will accommodate changing rooms, along with a classroom/office space, toilets and refreshments area.
The site will also see the installation of eight floodlights and acoustic fencing to prevent widespread noise disturbing residents, along with cycle parking spaces.
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Local resident Susan Harriwell spoke at the meeting, where she raised concerns over the noise and light which would come from the pitch as well as the opening times.
Ms Harriwell, who said she has lived in the area for 40 years, expressed that she wanted reassurance that the acoustic fencing set to be installed would work and would not cause a disturbance to herself and neighbours who want to use their gardens during the spring and summer.
She added that the current floodlights turn on at 5am, sometimes cause her to wake up, and that she hoped the new floodlights would not cause a similar problem.
The plans suggested the pitch would be available to use between 9am and 9pm each day, except for Saturdays when it would be open between 8am and 6pm.
An amendment to the application was proposed by Cllr Shoab Akhtar, who suggested the pitch should only be allowed to open at 10am on Saturdays.
Committee members voted in favour of the proposal with the amendment by a majority of seven to six, with the committee chair Cllr Ruji Sapna Surjan casting the deciding vote.
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