Planners have supported the development of new playing fields for Castle Rushen High School, the first stage in the redevelopment and replacement of the school.

The Department of Education, Sport and Culture, = made the application (19/01140/B) for fields around the school on Arbory Road, Castletown.

When completed, it will boast four football pitches, a cricket pitch and four cricket nets on the land behind Witches’ Mill. Also included in the plans are a 3m high perimeter fence and a temporary road for construction access to the playing fields.

The department’s planning application states: ’Development of the new playing fields forms the enabling phase to the overall redevelopment of the Castle Rushen High School site.

’Construction of the new playing fields requires early advancement in order to allow for the establishment of the playing fields prior to any planned construction works commencing on the existing school playing fields.’

The temporary road, accessed from Arbory Road, will be in place for the duration of the works and sees the removal of a public right of way, replacing it with an alternative right of way in the direction of Scarlett Farm.

Once this stage has been completed, the DESC will begin with its plan to build the new school on the current playing fields.

The department hopes the school fields will be ready by September 2021.