COUNCILLORS were give a round of applause after refusing a secondary school's plans for a state-of-art football pitch.

Rochford Council's development threw out the application on the grounds noise and light from the pitch at FitzWimarc School, in Hockley Road, Rayleigh, would affect neighbouring properties.

Their decision was met with a round of applause from nearly 50 people who packed the public gallery.

The school received £500,000 funding for the artificial pitch from Sport England and the Football Association, but will now lose the money.

The plans included eight 15m-high floodlights.

John Hayter, Ukip ward councillor for the Trinity ward, said: “The level of noise and light produced from the pitch would not be reasonably acceptable to the neighbouring residents.

“It would mean a loss of amenity for them and impact on those trying to get young children to sleep or those wanting to rest after the trials and tribulations of their day.”

A total of 119 objections were submitted to the council from residents in 13 roads near to the school.

FitzWimarc wanted the pitch to be in use between 8am and 10am Monday to Friday, and 8am to 8pm on weekends and Bank Holidays.

Officers suggested changing the weekend times to 9am until 8pm, but councillors dismissed the variation.

Speaking at the planning meeting, headteacher Robert Harris denied the application was to generate revenue for the school.

He said: “FitzWimarc has a strong reputation in the community for the support it gives its pupils and that is due to the hard work and dedication of our staff.

“However we are one of the least funded schools in the country, almost £1,000 per pupil below the Essex average, and our facilities need improving.

“The current pitches flood easily and this pitch would allow us to provide a wonderful facility for our pupils and other young people in the area.”

In their objections, neighbours said they feared parking would spill out into the streets neighbouring the school.

They also had concerns about a possible flood risk.

In one letter to the council, a neighbour said: “Children playing and participating in sports activities during school hours is one thing but to be subjected to adult noise, hustle and bustle seven days a week is unacceptable.

“I expect to have peace and quiet in my own home, otherwise I would have purchased a property near a football ground.

“The school is unable to facilitate their existing staff, guests and visitors now on a day to day basis and to want to build a full size turf pitch for even more people is a joke.”