PLANS to create covered standing and seating areas, as well as erecting a new set of floodlights at a football club in Knutsford, will be decided by councillors next month.

Egerton Youth Club wants to provide covered standing and seating area areas to the existing 3G pitch at the site in Mereheath Lane and the existing grass pitch seven, which is to the right hand side of the clubhouse as you look at it from the road.

The proposal also includes floodlights being built for pitch seven and the partial conversion of the existing garage building to form a toilet block and storerooms.

Originally the plans – that were first submitted in May this year but later withdrawn – were due to be decided by officers at Cheshire East Council.

But Cllr Hayley Wells-Bradshaw, ward member for Knutsford, has decided to 'call-in' the application, meaning a panel of councillors will decide the fate of the application.

"I called it in because I think that it should be the councillors who are the ones to decide on it," she told the Guardian..

"If it is approved then we want to make sure that the councillors on the Northern Planning Committee have had all the details and that those who are objecting to the plans have had their say.

"We are all fantastically supportive of maintaining sporting facilities in Knutsford and we want to make sure that they are appropriate and in proportion, in particular for that site as it is on greenbelt land."

Neighbouring Knutsford FC and Knutsford Tennis Club have both raised concerns regarding the proposal put forward by Egerton.

On the planning portal, chairman Knutsford FC Jimmy Evans, said: "We object to this on the grounds that we believe it to be a quasi commercial proposal purporting to be for the benefit of local youth whereas in fact the application is to develop a semi-professional adult football facility.

"The application is misleading in respect to the purpose and usage of the development."

Helen Sawyer, from Knutsford Tennis Club, added: "The application states that current spectator numbers at weekends can already be 500 to 1,000 and the new stands will improve the quality of their experience.

"The current car parking facilities accommodate approximately 100 cars so as a neighbouring club, our concern is that if numbers do increase, there needs to be increased parking space allocated within the plan.

"At peak times now there can be congestion and people parking on the road. There are four sports within Knutsford Sports Club plus the bowling club opposite, so clear access and visibility are vital."

Cheshire East Council's Northern Planning Committee will make the decision on Wednesday, November 2.