25m-deep hole to be drilled at York Wigginton Playing Fields

Plans approved by City of York Council are set to see the borehole drilled at Wigginton Playing Fields, in Mill Lane.

The Wigginton Sports and Playing Fields Association has applied to drill the hole to get water to irrigate football pitches during droughts.

Council planning officers stated it was an appropriate and modest development on green belt land.

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The hole is set to be drilled to the west of the playing fields’ pavilion building, towards the back of the site.

It is set to be 1m-wide and would look similar to a manhole cover at the top.

The pitches are used and managed by the Wigginton Grasshoppers grassroots football club.

Plans stated they aimed to create a supply of water to football pitches during summer droughts.

They added the works would be carried out by an experienced borehole drilling contractor in line with best practice guidance to avoid contaminating ground water.

Plans stated: “The borehole and headworks will be covered by a lockable housing to prevent access to the borehole by unauthorised personnel, the pump controls will be located in a locked, steel container.

“The water, which will only be used for watering the WSPFA’s playing
field, will only be abstracted under the control of the Wigginton Grasshoppers Personnel.

“The borehole and associated works will be maintained in good working
order by the WSPFA.

“If and when the borehole is to be abandoned the borehole will be capped off in accordance with good practice at the time.”

Council planning officers stated groundwater and neighbouring residents would not be negatively affected by the plans.

They stated: “The proposal constitutes appropriate development within the green belt, being the provision of appropriate facilities for outdoor sport.

“The development, given its modest nature would not result in harm to the openness of the green belt.”