A TOWN is set to get a new sports hall to be used by both the community and its high school.

Planning councillors at Lancashire County Council have been urged to approve an application by the school, due to be discussed next week.

The new sports hall would be built at Norden High School, Rishton, and would house a sports area which will be the equivalent of four badminton courts in size.

It will be built on what is described in the report to the development control committee as 'an under-used playing field.'

Planning officer David Adams stated in the report: "The proposed development is required due to an identified lack of indoor sporting facilities both for school and community use within the local area.

"Generally, planning rules prevent development of playing fields, apart from ones built for an educational purpose, such as this."

The sports hall will be used by pupils during the day but available to the community at night.

Five letters of objection have been received by the planning and highways committee, claiming that the new sports hall will increase parking problems on nearby streets, which is mainly terraced.

But Mr Adams stated: "It is considered that during school hours the sports hall would not give rise to additional car use, as the facility would be solely for pupil use.

"During after-school use, parking spaces would be released due to normal school workers such as teachers leaving the school.

"Given the presence of overflow parking areas it is not considered that the community use of this sports hall would cause extra problems."

The sports hall will be allowed to open until 10pm on weeknights, and 5pm at weekends, if approved.