Concerns have been raised that proposed sports pitches for children at an elite school in Winkfield Row could flood.

Lambrook School, an independent mixed sex school for three  to 13 year olds has applied to build a Multi Use Games Area on one of its fields in Winkfield Row.

Neighbours have objected to the pitch being built over for a number of reasons, one of those being that the pitches could worsening flooding locally.

The field the plan revolves around is bordered by Cricketer's Lane, with a stream to the north called The Cut, which is feared could present a flood risk.

READ MORE: Flooding fears as school in Winkfield plans to build new sports pitch

Stuart Tarrant, a retired farmer, supplied the Local Democracy Reporting service with dramatic photos showing flooding in recent years. Another neighbour, Mark Siggar, said Cricketer's Lane last flooded in February of this year.

Mr Tarrant, who owns land to the west of Cricketer's Lane said: "What the school doesn't understand is that this is a very fragile area of land. I have five streams coming into my property coming from Lambrook. If you fiddle around with soil and move loads of earth it can cause problems."

Bracknell News:

A flood risk assessment has been submitted as part of Lambrook School's planning application to Bracknell Forest Council, the planning authority for Winkfield Row.

In the report, the flood risk is defined as high. During a flood, there is the potential that the northern part of the site could become soaked in water.

There is a more substantial risk of groundwater flooding, which is when the water under the ground rises up to above ground level, causing flooding to occur at the surface. According to the flood risk assessment, there is a 50-75 per cent risk of groundwater flooding in the area the site is contained within.

The field is currently entirely permeable, meaning that when it rains, much of the water will seap into the ground. If the new pitches plan is approved, approximately two thirds (62 per cent) of the land will be impermeable, forcing water to run off towards streams or drains.

Bracknell News:

In order to mitigate the flood risk, the school has proposed using sustainable drainage systems to channel water into a stream to the east of the site, which runs north into The Cut.

In a worst case scenario, the flood risk assessment states the field would be partially covered. Ultimately, the assessment by GP Transport, Planning and Infrastructure Design Consultants concludes the plan should not be rejected on flooding grounds.

READ MORE: US film company's plan to use Swinley Forest could be torpedoed over green belt fears

For its part, Lambrook School said: "The existing flooding problem is a natural drainage and Thames Water issue and something that has been raised regularly with them.

"The building of a MUGA pitch on this particular field will not exacerbate the situation but will rather, help to manage flooding should it occur.

"The same amount of water will continue to flow through the field (originating from off the school site) and consequently, into the water table, however, as the proposed MUGA pitches are permeable, the water will be able to be more significantly controlled.

"At the moment the field is only able to be used in the drier months, but with a MUGA pitch, the area will be able to be used all year round by both the Lambrook children and our local state partnership schools."

The plan for the pitches is currently pending consideration, because there have been more than six objections, the application will go before the Planning Committee with a recommendation from officers.

You can observe the plan by using reference 21/00260/FUL on Bracknell Forest Council’s planning website: at https://planapp.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/online-applications/