Football training centre at Cobdown Sports Ground, Ditton, Aylesford

What was proposed

The application sought a football training centre with rebuilt and refurbished buildings, upgraded pitches, parking, lighting, landscaping and related infrastructure.

“Full planning permission for development at Cobdown Park to provide a football training centre (sui generis), comprising of the demolition and redevelopment of existing Clubhouse building, refurbishment of existing Academy building; demolition of ancillary buildings and structures across the Site; provision of new grounds maintenance building and service area; refurbishment of existing pavilion building to provide upgraded changing and kitchen facilities; provision of new…”

“- Redevelopment and refurbishment of the existing Academy building. - Demolition and redevelopment of the existing Clubhouse building. - Refurbishment of Cobdown Park Pavilion (located in the northwest of the site). - Demolition of existing ancillary buildings and structures across the site. - Addition of a small single storey Security Gate House (at the entrance of the site). - Provision of new Grounds Maintenance Building and service area (southwest area of the site).”

Officer report

The site and its surroundings

The site forms part of a sports ground in Ditton, occupied by a professional women’s football club and containing buildings, grass pitches, artificial pitches and parking.

“The application site forms part of Cobdown Park Sports Ground located to the north of London Road (A20) and northwest of Station Road within the defined urban area and settlement of Ditton. The full Cobdown Park site is approximately 11.17ha in size, with the application site comprising approximately 5.87ha.”

“- Clubhouse and Academy buildings (situated in the south of the site). - Various single storey ancillary buildings and structures (located across the site). - A timber pavilion (Cobdown Park Pavilion) (situated in the northwest of the site). - 3 x 11 a-side football pitches (located within the central and eastern parts of the site). - 2 x artificial floodlit pitches (situated within the north and west parts of the site).”

Officer report

Consultation responses

Most consultees raised no objection, subject to conditions, while Sport England supported the proposal but sought safeguards for hockey, croquet and community use.

“Sport England – No objection (subject to Grampian conditions) 5.44 (29/08/25) Sport England raises no objection to this application as it is considered to meet exceptions. 2, 3, 4 and 5 of our Playing Fields Policy and to accord with Paragraph 104 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), subject to conditions set out below.”

“Sport England made it clear, that in order to avoid an objection for the conversion of the hockey AGP, and the loss of the croquet courts Sport England would have to see that their replacement and being operational prior to the conversion and loss or would require a Grampian Condition.”

Officer report

Who spoke

Members of the public and a representative speaking for the applicant addressed the committee.

Members’ discussion

Members considered the benefits against impacts on former sports uses and suggested lighting, flood protection, construction traffic, solar panels and native planting improvements.

“Due regard was given to the determining issues detailed in the report of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health with particular reference made to the community, social, employment and economic benefits to arise from the proposed scheme, and it was considered that the overall benefits outweighed any detriment caused by the loss, or prejudice to the use, of the area of playing field for any former use, including hockey and croquet.”

“Furthermore, suggestions were made by Members in respect of implementing low level lighting along the new public right of way to balance safety and ecological concerns, exploring further improvements to mitigate flooding on the footpath to the north-east of the grounds, restricting site traffic during construction to avoid peak school time as part of the Construction Environmental Management Plan, considering future provision for solar panelling on the roof of the new…”

Minutes

The vote

The committee unanimously supported the proposal after it was moved and seconded.

“It was proposed by Councillor D Thornewell (Chair), seconded by Councillor R Dalton, and the Committee unanimously…”

“RESOLVED: That planning permission be GRANTED in accordance with the submitted details, conditions and reasons and informatives set out in both the main and the supplementary reports of the Director of Planning, Housing and Environmental Health, subject to:”

Minutes

The decision

Planning permission was granted with a legal agreement securing employment, travel, community, management and biodiversity measures, plus an amended landscaping condition.

“- Employment and training obligations in relation to: o Local employment and training o Local supply chain commitments - Travel Plan pursuant to the approved Framework Travel (monitoring fee of £1,422).”

“Prior to the commencement of landscaping works, a scheme of hard and soft landscaping, including details of existing trees to be retained and size, species/cultivar, native hedging, planting heights, densities and positions of any soft landscaping; the design of access to the public right of way and associated surfacing, widths, gradients, landscaping and structures and details of any signage, shall be submitted to and agreed in writing by the Local Planning Authority.”

Minutes