RANELAGH School and Bracknell Town Football Club are set to benefit from a new multi-use games area after teaming up for a proposal supported by hundreds of residents.

The plan has received huge support from more than 300 locals who sent in comments to the council praising the proposal, with one claiming the development would be a “modern future-proofed facility that will benefit the town.”

However, the support despite Sport England objecting to the proposal after consulting the Football Foundation and Berks and Bucks FA, who said in June: “The view of myself and Berks & Bucks FA is that we still require some commitment from the applicant in terms of wider community use.

“If the only club user of the site is to be Bracknell Town, I can’t see how the facility will be sustainable – given the club has 29 teams and will have access to 2 full-size 3G pitches.”

A report produced by the council confirmed that it “is not intended that the development would be available for hire by other sporting clubs or members of the public”

The report continued: “Taken as a whole, it is considered that the objections raised by Sport England, the loss of the highway trees and the level of impact upon the amenities of adjoining occupiers, are not sufficient to outweigh the presumption in favour of approving this scheme which complies with development plan policy.”

An original version of the application showed 34 protected trees could be in danger with the installation of a netball court being part of the proposals, but an amendment made to the plans means two protected trees are set to be removed with two new trees expected to be planted in their place.

The planning application outlines proposals for a football pitch, tennis court which can double up as a netball area, two-storey education building, 100m sprint track and long jump pit.

The two-storey building would include a cafe, changing facilities and classrooms.

The school would use the facility during school hours, with the football club’s teams free to use the facility after schools hours.

These proposals have received huge support from hundreds of residents, although the report claimed more than 40 per cent of them were people living outside the borough.

One resident, who lives within a quarter of a mile from the proposed site, said: “My son plays football for one of the junior teams at Bracknell Town Football Club and the extension of the club’s facilities will promote the health and well-being of the Bracknell Forest residents, encouraging wider participation in a more extensive range of sports from the wider community.

“Such an extensive local asset can only add to Bracknell Forest as a location for people to visit, shop, exercise and live!”

Bracknell Town Council recommended refusal to the borough council on three separate occasions after revisions were made to the original plans, raising concerns over the size of the facility and traffic congestion.

Their objection read: “Although councillors are in support of school facilities to encourage children to keep fit and healthy in their school years, B.T.C feel this application is overdevelopment in all areas, the size of the sports facility, the flood lights, the amount of sport pitches and the parking facilities considering its position in a small lane that narrows to single file at the point of entry to this sports field.”

The application is set to be approved by members of Bracknell Forest Borough Council’s planning committee on Thursday, 13 December.