WORK has started to create a new sports pitch for Scotton and Lingerfield nr Knaresborough.  This new pitch will be the area's first dedicated football pitch and will become the 'home' ground of the Scotton Scorchers' Junior Football Club and for the footballers of Scotton Lingerfield Primary School.

 

News that work has started will be sweet news for the school and Scotton Scorchers as well as for the environment.  Harrogate Borough Council is pioneering the use of topsoil created as a by-product of sugar beet, grown in York by British Sugar, to create the sports pitch.  The soil washed off the beet after it has been picked is very sandy and perfect for using on developing sports pitches.

 

Situated three miles north of Knaresborough, the Lingerfield Recreation Ground covers an area of about 16 acres and is let by Harrogate Borough Council on a 99-year lease to the Scotton Parish Council.

 

A further seven acres have been sub-let for a golf driving range and a children's nursery Kids at Heart.

 

As well as developing the much needed football pitch, the borough council is also working closely with the parish council to develop the remainder of the recreation ground as a country park.

 

Councillor Mrs Pat Jones, Cabinet Member for Cultural Services, said:  "This is an exciting development and we are extremely pleased that by working in partnership with the parish council we can develop this large area of public open space in this way to make better provision for the local community. 

 

"The need for a football pitch in this area has long been recognised but it has been extremely difficult finding a suitable location and we obviously had to get over the financial obstacles.  Funding is now in place with £70,000 raised by the borough council and the parish council.  This has been enhanced by grants from the Football Foundation and a Waste Recycling Environment grant.

 

"When completed, it will be one of the finest pitches in the district and an invaluable resource for the club and the school." 

 

Mr Richard Wray, Chairman of Scotton Parish Council, said:  "We are delighted that work has begun on the new pitch.  This will be a valuable resource to the local community and will provide a permanent home in the parish for Scotton Scorchers, our new football club.  This is the first stage in the development of the new country park, to be named 'Percy Fields'."