PLANS have been submitted to extend a football clubhouse that is located on the site where three-metre-high flood defences are due to be built.

A new first-floor extension is proposed for the main clubhouse belonging to Radcliffe Borough Juniors FC.

The club is based at Close Park — where major construction is under way to build a series of flood defences to protect up to 873 properties. Plans include a 2.5m flood wall and three-metre-high earth embankment at the edge of the park.

The Environment Agency (EA) has agreed to provide a financial contribution to facilitate the building work at the football club, which will incorporate a first-floor extension to the existing changing rooms.

Proposals also include a link bridge which will connect the elevated first floor to the soon-to-be-built embankment, and an external metal staircase to be used as an emergency exit.

A planning application has been submitted by Bury Council's parks and countryside department. The council is working alongside the EA to deliver the flood defence scheme in Radcliffe, which was among the areas worst hit by the Boxing Day floods in 2015.

A design statement submitted with the plans reads: "The football pitches at Close Park, Radcliffe, are located on the flood plain of the River Irwell, which forms the eastern boundary of the park.

"The whole park and nearby housing have been flooded on a number of occasions, most notably on Boxing Day 2015. The pitches themselves are served by changing rooms located to the east and adjacent to the ballzone and tennis courts.

"The proposal is to construct an additional storey on the existing changing rooms which would be used as a lookout and occasional meeting room with toilets and a small kitchen.

"It is required because the imminent construction of a flood defence embankment will screen the single storey changing rooms from most of the football pitches. The changing rooms would be on the ‘dry side’ of the defences and most of the pitches on the ‘wet’ side.

"This is particularly problematic because the football club is for young people and not being able to monitor access to the changing rooms from the pitches raises safeguarding issues.

"The proposals have been designed by Radcliffe Juniors FC as the best way to address its safeguarding needs. However, the application has been submitted by the council as the park and buildings in it are council property."

There are more than 300 children engaging in sport through Radcliffe Borough Juniors FC. The club has been temporarily relocated to pitches at Radcliffe Hall C of E Methodist Primary School, while the flood defences are built.

To view the plans, search application number 64251 at https://planning.bury.gov.uk/online-applications.